Aferição da pressão arterial em ambos os membros superiores: aferição simultânea ou sequencial?

Abstract

Background: blood pressure (BP) measurement in both arms directs the choice of therapies and helps to establish prevalence and identify risk factors associated with arterial hypertension. The lack of knowledge on defining the best method of measuring BP is still noteworthy; therefore, its determination would help screen advanced atherosclerotic disease. Objectives: this study aimed establishes which is the best method for indirectly measuring BP in arms: if simultaneous or sequential measurement; analyze if there is significant deviation of prevalence of discordant BP between superior members (> 10mmHg) using both methods, and associate these values with cardiovascular risk factors. Methods: the study is transversal, being conducted in a shoe factory in the city of Campina Grande – PB. The population of the study consists of 18 or older individuals who work at the factory and do not present cardiovascular morbities. The data were gathered from July to August of 2013. The individuals who agreed in participating were asked to sign the Agreement Term. Participants were evaluated by individual interview, measurement of anthropometric values and BP in both superior members, using both simultaneous and sequential methods. Results and conclusion: it was noted that, after comparing both methods against each other, there was not found significant levels of concordance between them.