British doctors suggest measuring blood pressure in both arms as having a large difference between the right and left could potentially signal an increased risk of life-threatening vascular disease. The research will appear in the medical journal the Lancet on Monday.
A difference of 15 mm Hg or more between the arms was linked to:
- Peripheral vascular disease – 2.5 times greater risk of narrowing and hardening of the arteries that supply blood to the legs and feet.
- 1.6 times greater risk of cerebrovascular disease that affects the blood supply to the brain that can lead to a type of dementia.
- 1.7 times greater risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
It’s the difference between the arms that mattered, not which arm was higher, they reported.
"In conclusion, our findings suggest that a difference in systolic blood pressure of 10 mm Hg or more or 15 mm Hg or more between arms could identify patients at high risk of asymptomatic peripheral vascular disease and mortality who might benefit from further assessment," the study's authors concluded.
"Ascertainment of differences should become part of routine care, as opposed to a guideline recommendation that is mostly ignored," the editorial concluded.
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