Accurate measurement of blood pressure

Accurate Measurement of Blood Pressure

1. Health care professionals who have been specifically trained to measure blood pressure (BP) accurately should assess BP in all adult patients at all appropriate visits to determine cardiovascular risk and monitor antihypertensive treatment (Grade D).
2. Use of standardized measurement techniques (Table 1) is recommended when assessing blood pressure (Grade D).
3. Automated office blood pressure measurements can be used in the assessment of office blood pressure (Grade D).
4. When used under proper conditions, automated office SBP of 135 mmHg or higher or DBP values of 85 mmHg or higher should be considered analogous to mean awake ambulatory SBP of 135 mmHg or higher and DBP of 85 mmHg or higher, respectively (Grade D).