Ensuring Accurate Blood Pressure Readings Inaccurate equipment may encourage inadequate treatment From Marian Anne Eure, former About.com Guide. Updated May 10, 2006. Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board Is you r bl ood pr essure mea sur ing dev ice a healt h hazar d? If it doe s not gi ve accurate readings each and every time it is used it very well may be. The re is an inc reas ing pub lic heal th concern that new devices that measure blood pressure are poor replacements for the old-fashioned, mercury-gauged cuffs. "Sometimes these new dev ices give reading s that are very wrong. If we don't know whether we as physicians have an accurate reading, we can't be sure patients are receiving proper -- even saf e -- treatment s," sai d Dr . Dan iel W. Jon es, an inte rnat iona lly kno wn hyp erte nsio n expert who is high blood pressure spokesman for the Ame rican Heart Association (AHA). Jo nes also is associate vic e chancellor for heal th affairs at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMC) in Jackson. A public health alert about the devices was issued in a joint statement from the AHA, with spokesman Jones, and the National Heart, Lung and Blo od Ins tit ute (NHLBI ) of the Natio nal Institutes of Health. Old er , mer cury-gauged arm cuff units tha t were standard equipment (and very accurate) in doctor's off ices and hos pit als are being replaces with dial or electronic cuffs (much less accurate). The mercury cuffs are disappearing since mercury is a toxic pollutant that needs proper di sposal , hospital s and physic ians natio nwi de hav e bee n retur ni ng mercury- gauged sphygmoman ome te rs to th eir manufacturers to comply with a 1998 federal wast e redu ctio n standard. Unfortunatel y the newer types of blood pressure units are much more likely to giv e inac curate read ing s with prolonged use or if they have been bumped or dropped. Even new units have been found to be inaccurate. Inaccurate readi ngs fro m the non-mer cur y de vi ces can be as hi gh as 50 (diastolic or systolic) points in some patients, especially the elde rly, Jones said . The ramific atio ns may be fals e diag nosi s and, subs equ entl y, impr oper tr eatment of pa ti ents -- leading to severe problems. Ensur ing Ac curate Blo od Pressure Readings • Hospitals and doctors offices need to ret ain at lea st one mercury-gauged cuff. • In or der to ens ur e accurac y of oth er blood pressure measuring units, those readings need to be verified against a mercury reading. If they are found to be inaccurate the unit s need to be rec ali br ated by the man uf act urer if necessary. • Patients using home dial or electronic units sho ul d conti nue to check the ir own blood pres sure but shou ld hav e the acc ur acy of tho se units check ed ag ainst a mercur y reading at th e hospital or doctors office.

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Ensuring Accurate Blood Pressure Readings

Inaccurate equipment may encourageinadequate treatment

From Marian Anne Eure, former About.com Guide.

Updated May 10, 2006.

Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed

by our Medical Review Board

Is your blood pressure measuring device a

health hazard? If it does not give accuratereadings each and every time it is used it verywell may be.

There is an increasing public health concernthat new devices that measure blood pressureare poor replacements for the old-fashioned,mercury-gauged cuffs.

"Sometimes these new devices give readingsthat are very wrong. If we don't know whetherwe as physicians have an accurate reading, wecan't be sure patients are receiving proper --even safe -- treatments," said Dr. Daniel W.

Jones, an internationally known hypertensionexpert who is high blood pressure spokesmanfor the American Heart Association (AHA). Jones also is associate vice chancellor forhealth affairs at the University of MississippiMedical Center (UMC) in Jackson.

A public health alert about the devices wasissued in a joint statement from the AHA, withspokesman Jones, and the National Heart, Lungand Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the NationalInstitutes of Health.

Older, mercury-gauged arm cuff units that

were standard equipment (and very accurate)in doctor's offices and hospitals are beingreplaces with dial or electronic cuffs (much lessaccurate). The mercury cuffs are disappearingsince mercury is a toxic pollutant that needsproper disposal, hospitals and physiciansnationwide have been returning mercury-gauged sphygmomanometers to theirmanufacturers to comply with a 1998 federalwaste reduction standard. Unfortunately the

newer types of blood pressure units are much

more likely to give inaccurate readings withprolonged use or if they have been bumped ordropped. Even new units have been found tobe inaccurate.

Inaccurate readings from the non-mercurydevices can be as high as 50 (diastolic orsystolic) points in some patients, especially theelderly, Jones said. The ramifications may befalse diagnosis and, subsequently, impropertreatment of patients -- leading to severeproblems.

Ensuring Accurate Blood Pressure

Readings

• Hospitals and doctors offices need toretain at least one mercury-gaugedcuff.

• In order to ensure accuracy of otherblood pressure measuring units, thosereadings need to be verified against amercury reading. If they are found tobe inaccurate the units need to berecalibrated by the manufacturer if necessary.

• Patients using home dial or electronicunits should continue to check their

own blood pressure but should havethe accuracy of those units checkedagainst a mercury reading at thehospital or doctors office.

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