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The role of wrist monitors to measure blood pressure in older adults

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Abstract

Background

Arterial hypertension is a common condition in older adults with increasing data about blood pressure (BP) targets and antihypertensive treatment in this population. Recent studies have opened new discussions about the different usual and unusual methods of blood pressure monitoring. However, there are no evidence-based recommendations whether BP should be measured at upper arms or at wrist, which seems to be more comfortable in older and frail people.

Aims

The purpose of this study was to test the quality of wrist BP monitors as diagnostic method in older adults.

Methods

BP measurements at both upper arms and at both wrists were compared under standardized conditions in 605 patients ≥ 75 years. Differences in wrist and upper arm BP were, furthermore, correlated with various diagnoses and parameters including ankle–brachial-index (ABI).

Results

In patients of 75–80 years, there were no differences in BP measurements at upper arms compared to wrists whereas in patients > 80 years, BP measurements at wrists were significantly lower than at upper arms. In both age groups BP measured at wrist was significantly lower in patients with ABI < 0.9.

Conclusions

BP wrist monitors could be considered as a serious alternative in adults of 75–80 years or in older persons with normal ABI values.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Mrs. Dr. med. Claudia Keuchel, Norbert A. Keuchel Industrievertretungen GmbH, Vierkrichen, Germany and Mr. Wolfgang Welte, Bosch+Sohn GmbH, Jungingen, Germany for the disposal of all blood pressure monitor devices, the training of all users and the assistance in case of device errors.

Funding

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Klinik für Allgemeine Innere Medizin und Geriatrie, Krankenhaus Barmherzige Brüder Regensburg, Prüfeninger Straße 86, 93049, Regensburg, Germany

    Ute Hoffmann, Jan-Marc Thrun, Elsa Obermeier, Christian Weingart & Cornel Sieber

  2. Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Schwerpunkt Akutgeriatrie, Klinikum der Universität München (LMU), Ziemssenstr. 1, 80336, Munich, Germany

    Michael Drey

  3. Abteilung für elektronische Datenverarbeitung (EDV), Krankenhaus Barmherzige Brüder Regensburg, Prüfeninger Straße 86, 93049, Regensburg, Germany

    Katharina Hafner

  4. Institut für Biomedizin des Alterns, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Kobergerstr. 60, 90408, Nuremberg, Germany

    Cornel Sieber

Authors
  1. Ute Hoffmann
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  2. Michael Drey
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  3. Jan-Marc Thrun
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  4. Elsa Obermeier
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  5. Christian Weingart
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  6. Katharina Hafner
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  7. Cornel Sieber
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ute Hoffmann.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare no competing financial interest.

Statement of human and animal rights

All procedures and the research protocol have been approved by the locally appointed ethics committee of the University of Regensburg.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Hoffmann, U., Drey, M., Thrun, JM. et al. The role of wrist monitors to measure blood pressure in older adults. Aging Clin Exp Res 31, 1227–1231 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-018-1065-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-018-1065-z

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