Is the relationship between supine blood pressure and postural changes in blood pressure artefactual? Results from the Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether there is an association between initial supine blood pressure and postural changes in blood pressure (standing minus supine blood pressure).

METHODS

Using data from the Kuopio (Finland) Ischemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study (KIHD), we simulated the problem and found the suggested solution based on the work of Blomqvist. We then applied the Blomqvist correction to the KIHD data with real measurement errors.

RESULTS

The observed regression slope was substantially reduced, indicating that there is no relationship between the initial blood pressure and the postural change in blood pressure.

CONCLUSION

Only the broad application of the method of Blomqvist to other data sets will determine the generalizability of the present finding that initial blood pressure is unrelated to the postural change in blood pressure.