Blood pressure is an important sign of your health. It’s usually measured while you’re sitting down.
But new research shows that your blood pressure may act differently depending on how your body is positioned.
This study, shared at the American Heart Association’s Hypertension Scientific Sessions in 2023, looked at how lying down affects blood pressure and what it might mean for heart health.
The research was led by medical student Duc M. Giao from Harvard Medical School. The team reviewed health data from over 11,000 adults and found that blood pressure can change depending on whether you’re sitting, standing, or lying down.
One of the most surprising results was that some people had normal blood pressure while sitting, but it became high when they lay down. About 16% of participants experienced this kind of increase. These people would not be flagged for high blood pressure under normal testing conditions.
Even more important, people with high blood pressure while lying down had the same risk of heart problems as those whose blood pressure was always high—whether sitting or lying. These risks included heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and even early death.
This finding shows that lying-down blood pressure could be just as important as sitting blood pressure when it comes to heart risk.
Why does this matter? Most people only get their blood pressure checked while sitting in a doctor’s office. But if your blood pressure changes when you lie down, you could be missing important information about your heart health.
That’s why the researchers suggest that people—especially those at risk for heart disease—should have their blood pressure checked in different positions. This can help doctors get a clearer picture of what’s going on and offer better treatment if needed.
It could also help control blood pressure at night, which is important for keeping your heart healthy. If your blood pressure goes up while you sleep, it could raise your risk of serious health problems.
This study mainly looked at middle-aged adults, so more research is needed to see if the same is true for older people.
In conclusion, just checking blood pressure while sitting might not tell the full story. Measuring it while lying down could give doctors new clues about your heart health and help prevent problems before they start.
If you’re concerned about your heart, ask your doctor about checking your blood pressure in different positions. It’s a simple step that could make a big difference.
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