Most of us have had our blood pressure checked while sitting in a doctor’s office. It’s a common way to measure heart health.
But new research shows that checking your blood pressure only while sitting might not be enough to fully understand your risk for heart problems.
A study shared at the American Heart Association’s Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2023 found that some people have high blood pressure only when they’re lying flat on their backs. Even if their blood pressure looks normal while sitting, they may still be at risk.
Our bodies handle blood pressure differently depending on whether we’re sitting, standing, or lying down. For some people, the body doesn’t adjust properly between these positions. This could lead to hidden risks for heart disease.
The study was led by Duc M. Giao, a medical student at Harvard Medical School. His team looked at data from over 11,000 adults who had their blood pressure checked while lying down between 1987 and 1989. These people were then followed for nearly 30 years.
Here’s what they found:
– 16% of the participants had high blood pressure while lying down, even though their sitting blood pressure was normal.
– People with high blood pressure in both sitting and lying positions had a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and early death.
– Surprisingly, people who had high blood pressure only while lying down also had similar risks.
In simple terms, high blood pressure while lying down is just as serious as when it’s found while sitting. It can raise the chances of major health problems and even early death.
So what does this mean for you? Giao says that if you are already at risk for heart issues or stroke, it might be helpful to have your blood pressure checked in more than one position. It could also be useful to monitor your blood pressure during everyday activities and even while sleeping.
This study focused on middle-aged adults, but future research may explore how these results apply to older adults too.
The big takeaway is that checking your blood pressure in different positions could give a more complete picture of your heart health. Adding a lying-down check during routine doctor visits could help catch hidden risks and maybe even save lives.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies that timing matters when taking high blood pressure pills and 1 in 5 people with high blood pressure taking a drug worsen the disease.
For more about blood pressure, please read studies that new research challenges conventional blood pressure guidelines and scientists make a big breakthrough in high blood pressure treatment.
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