Government recommends measuring blood pressure at home

According to the BBC website, the government health watchdog, NICE, has recommended changes in blood pressure guidelines in England and Wales.

Officials believe that many people may be mis-diagnosed as having high blood pressure thanks to the so-called 'white coat effect' or 'white coat hypertension'. Research has shown that when patients are being tested by their doctor at the surgery or in hospital, their blood pressure may be higher than normal because of the stress that is involved in being in the medical situation.

For this reason, patients thought to have high blood pressure should have the diagnosis confirmed at home, according to new guidelines.

Patients in England and Wales will be offered extra checks using a mobile device that records blood pressure over 24 hours, says the watchdog NICE.

Upto 25% of patients may find visiting a GP stressful, leading to misdiagnosis and being given drugs they do not need. The new guidelines could save the NHS around £10.5m a year, if this is the case.

High blood pressure (blood pressure of 140/90mmHg or more) affects about a quarter of all adults in the UK. It is a leading risk factor for heart disease or stroke and costs the NHS about £1bn a year to treat in drugs alone.

Currently, most patients found to have high blood pressure for the first time are given a formal diagnosis if their blood pressure is raised at two subsequent visits to the doctor and they may then be prescribed medication to lower their blood pressure.

The BBC reports that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has advised doctors in England and Wales to move towards "ambulatory" monitoring of patients at home, using a small device that automatically takes blood pressure readings every 30 minutes day and night and will therefore give a clearer picture of a patient's blood pressure than isolated measurements taken in the clincial situation.

To read the full story visit the BBC news website.