When you check your blood pressure, do you get a reading in both arms? If you don’t, there’s a reason to start. A new study shows that blood pressure readings that differ significantly between two arms can be a sign of peripheral vascular disease.
Peripheral vascular disease is blood vessel disease that occurs outside the heart and brain. It comes from the gradual build-up of cholesterol and plaque within the walls of peripheral arteries, causing them to narrow. This narrowing reduces blood flow through the diseased arteries.
One of the more common regions where people have peripheral vascular disease is in their legs. This narrowing may cause their legs to cramp up or become painful when they walk, but the pain usually goes away with rest. On the other hand, many people have no symptoms with peripheral vascular disease and don’t even know they have it.
The Importance of Getting a Blood Pressure Reading in Both Arms
According to a study carried out in England, when systolic blood pressure measurements between the two arms differ by more than 10 to 15%, it can be a sign of underlying blood vessel disease involving the peripheral blood vessels or blood vessels in the brain.
Systolic blood pressure is the upper number in a blood pressure reading. It corresponds to the force in blood vessels when the heart is pumping. Differences in blood pressure between the two arms are also linked with a greater risk of heart disease and premature death from all causes. Getting blood pressure readings in both arms is a simple way to screen for potential blood vessel problems.
Unfortunately, not all doctors check blood pressure readings in both arms. This means they’re missing out on a simple, inexpensive way to screen for peripheral vascular disease. In a world where so many expensive tests exist, blood pressure screening by checking pressures in both arms is a cost-effective way to screen for the common problem of peripheral vascular disease. This would allow earlier treatment that may reduce the risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke too.
The Bottom Line?
When you visit your doctor for a check-up or a blood pressure check, ask them to check your blood pressure in both arms. If there’s more than a 10-point difference, discuss it with your doctor.
People who have diabetes or a strong family history of heart disease or stroke are at greater risk for peripheral vascular disease and need further testing if they have more than a 10-point systolic blood pressure difference between their two arms.
Now you have another good reason to get your blood pressure checked regularly.
References:
Family Practice News. February 1, 2012. “BP Differences between Arms May Signal Vascular Disease”
Merck Manual. Eighteen edition. 2006.