If you have high blood pressure, you should take note of this information. Researchers with the American Heart Association have published the findings of a nearly 30-year study on high blood pressure, discovering that doctors may miss some cardiovascular health issues if their patients are not lying down.
Patients are typically only measured while sitting upright. Doctors think that doing two readings should now be standard practice.
“If blood pressure is only measured while people are seated upright, cardiovascular disease risk may be missed if not measured also while they are lying supine on their backs,” says lead study author Duc M. Giao, a researcher and a 4th-year MD student at Harvard Medical School, in a media release.
Lying down blood pressure measurements reveal higher cardiovascular risks
People who had their blood pressure taken while lying down had a higher chance of having a heart attack, stroke, heart failure, or dying prematurely. According to the data, the type of blood pressure medicine patients use has no effect on cardiovascular risk.
Blood pressure is controlled by the autonomic nervous system. However, the influence of gravity may cause blood to pool while seated or standing. Meanwhile, the body can’t always manage blood pressure while lying down, sitting, or standing.
“Our findings suggest people with known risk factors for heart disease and stroke may benefit from having their blood pressure checked while lying flat on their backs,” Giao adds.
Long-term study reveals elevated health risks in those with high blood pressure when lying down
The study’s first phase began in 1987 and lasted until 1989. A total of 15,972 adults from the United States had their blood pressure measured while lying down or sitting up. The diversity of the participants was a crucial component of the study. Over half of the participants (56%) were women, and 25 percent were Black. Data on blood pressure was collected in both rural and urban clinics. After that, their health was monitored for an average of 25 to 28 years, with the latest health data collected between 2011 and 2013.
Sixteen percent did not have high blood pressure while seated (a measurement greater than 130/80 mm Hg). However, when researchers monitored their blood pressure while lying flat on their backs, these same participants had elevated blood pressure.
Findings suggest people with known risk factors for heart disease and stroke may benefit from having their blood pressure checked while lying flat
Three-quarters of those with high blood pressure while seated or lying down had a 1.6 times greater risk of future heart failure, a 1.86 times greater risk of stroke, a 1. (https://nuttyscientists.com/) 43 times worse risk of premature mortality, and a 2.18 times greater risk of coronary heart disease. Individuals who had high blood pressure exclusively when lying down were also at risk.
“Our findings suggest people with known risk factors for heart disease and stroke may benefit from having their blood pressure checked while lying flat on their backs,” Giao explains. “Efforts to manage blood pressure during daily life may help lower blood pressure while sleeping. Future research should compare supine blood pressure measurements in the clinic with overnight measurements.”
One study disadvantage was that it only included middle-aged adults. When their blood pressure was taken, the average age of the participants was 54. It is possible that the findings will differ for older populations.
The findings were presented at the American Heart Association’s Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2023.