MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Swapnil Hiremath, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor
Nephrologist, The Ottawa Hospital
Faculty of Medicine at University of Ottawa
Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Hiremath: Our study was a retrospective analysis of the data from the Nephrology Nurse BP assessment clinic at the Ottawa Hospital. Patients from the nephrology clinic were referred to this clinic not just for validation of their home BP machines, but also for lifestyle education and teaching the correct technique. We validated the monitors brought in by patients using a set protocol (including: confirming equal blood pressure in both arms, measuring BP simultaneously in both arms by an RN using proper technique, taking three resting readings and averaging them).
Firstly, there was a statistically significant difference when we compared the average blood pressure measurement (both systolic and diastolic) values from the home monitor compared to the mercury monitor.
Secondly, when we calculated the proportions of home BP machines that were accurate (using different thresholds of 3 mm, 5 mm and 10 mm Hg difference between home and mercury monitors) a significant proportion of home monitors were inaccurate. These findings have important implications – if clinicians are using data from home monitors to make therapeutic decisions, then some patients may be undertreated – or over treated needlessly.
(more…)MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Swapnil Hiremath, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor
Nephrologist, The Ottawa Hospital
Faculty of Medicine at University of Ottawa
Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Hiremath: Our study was a retrospective analysis of the data from the Nephrology Nurse BP assessment clinic at the Ottawa Hospital. Patients from the nephrology clinic were referred to this clinic not just for validation of their home BP machines, but also for lifestyle education and teaching the correct technique. We validated the monitors brought in by patients using a set protocol (including: confirming equal blood pressure in both arms, measuring BP simultaneously in both arms by an RN using proper technique, taking three resting readings and averaging them).
Firstly, there was a statistically significant difference when we compared the average blood pressure measurement (both systolic and diastolic) values from the home monitor compared to the mercury monitor.
Secondly, when we calculated the proportions of home BP machines that were accurate (using different thresholds of 3 mm, 5 mm and 10 mm Hg difference between home and mercury monitors) a significant proportion of home monitors were inaccurate. These findings have important implications – if clinicians are using data from home monitors to make therapeutic decisions, then some patients may be undertreated – or over treated needlessly.
(more…)