Gonzalez Biosca M D, Fernandez-Cruz A, Mizushima S, Yamori Y
WHO Collaborating Center for Research on Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases, Shimane Medical University, Izumo, Japan.
J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 1990;16 Suppl 8:S26-7.
The automatic blood pressure (BP) measurement device (A) developed for the World Health Organization (WHO) Cardiovascular Diseases and Alimentary Comparison (CARDIAC) Study was compared in Spain with the standard auscultatory-mercury manometer (M) in 440 randomly selected subjects, 50-54 years old (50% men and 50% women). BPs were recorded simultaneously in the same arm. Systolic BP (SBP), analyzed in 1,440 readings, was 127.5 +/- 18.9 mm Hg by A system and 127.6 +/- 18.6 mm Hg by M system (NS). Diastolic BP (DBP) was 71.3 +/- 11.7 mm Hg by A and 79.3 +/- 11 mm Hg by M (p less than 0.001). We confirmed good correlations in SBP and DBP measured by both methods (r = 0.95 and r = 0.88, respectively; both p less than 0.001). Nearly complete consistency was noted between SBP readings by both methods but not between DBP readings; the readings by M were significantly higher than those by A. Since A's consistency with SBP and DBP readings obtained by the intra-arterial method (the most commonly used method) previously had been proven to be satisfactory, DBP obtained by clinical practice is possibly overestimated in adults.
