This is a concern that worries nearly one in two French people, according to a recent survey : health. Numerous studies warn of the risks of physical inactivity or poor diet on health. But American researchers believe that a simple gesture can help take care of one’s health, particularly for people suffering from d’hypertension.
As a reminder, this chronic pathology constitutes a major risk factor for cardio-neurovascular pathologies, such as myocardial infarction or stroke.
According to specialists from the Texas A&M University School of Public Health, in the United States, patients who monitor their blood pressure regularly tend to have a better quality of life and reduce their healthcare costs. Their results are published in the journal JAMA Network Open.
Raising your blood pressure would improve quality of life
To arrive at these conclusions, the researchers conducted a meta-analysis, that is, they based themselves on previous research work. In total, 16 studies were screened. The duration of follow-up for participants was six to twenty-four months. Among the study selection criteria, they had to contain information on the evolution of blood pressure over time as well as their consequences on the health of the participants. In addition, the volunteers had to have measured their blood pressure at home. The latter suffered from high blood pressure, that is to say that their systolic blood pressure being greater than or equal to 130 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure was greater than or equal to 80 mm Hg.
As a reminder, “self-monitoring of blood pressure includes both home blood pressure measurements (HBPM) and ambulatory blood pressure measurements (ABPM) collected automatically over a 24-hour period,” specify the researchers. To take your own blood pressure, you must be equipped with a self measuring device.
“The list of validated devices can be found on the website of the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) and it is necessary to preferably choose those using a cuff”, reminded Current wife Professor Gérard Helft, cardiologist and president of the French Federation of Cardiology. According to him, connected watches, “are, to date, not sufficiently reliable, as soon as the values go beyond ‘normal’ values”.
Self-measurement of high blood pressure: more reliable data
The researchers noticed that “60% of the 16 studies reviewed in their analysis identified home or ambulatory blood pressure measurements as more cost-effective than conventional blood pressure monitoring in a healthcare office.”
More specifically, the authors note that self-assessing blood pressure on a daily basis made it possible to detect masked hypertension. In addition, these data were more reliable, because they made it possible to limit high blood pressure in the blouse blanche, i.e. high blood pressure only in the case of medical consultations. In the long term, the authors note a reduction in adverse effects and an improvement in patients’ quality of life.
Sources :
- Economic Evaluation of Blood Pressure Monitoring Techniques in Patients With Hypertension – JAMA Network Open
- Monitoring Your Own Blood Pressure Can Save Money — And Possibly Your Life – Texas A&M University School of Public Health (communiqué)
