High blood pressure, or hypertension, is the leading cause of premature death worldwide and strongly links to heart disease, stroke, and heart attack. However, a Cambridge research team has found that standard cuff-based blood pressure tests often produce inaccurate results, missing many cases of hypertension.
The researchers discovered that low downstream pressure in the arm causes cuffs to underestimate systolic readings, which can lead to as many as 30% of hypertension cases going undetected. To address this issue, they identified simple adjustments that could make these tests more reliable without replacing standard devices.
By studying the physics behind cuff-based blood pressure devices, the researchers found that inflating a tube with a low upstream pressure creates a condition where the artery stays closed longer while deflating, causing an underestimation of blood pressure.
To correct this issue, they suggest raising the arm before measurement to create predictable downstream pressure and therefore more accurate readings. This change doesn’t require new devices but rather a modified protocol.
The researchers are now seeking funding for clinical trials to test their findings in patients and partners to refine calibration models and validate their effect in diverse populations.
Source: https://scitechdaily.com/how-physics-revealed-a-life-saving-blood-pressure-fix