University research shapes new NICE guidelines on blood pressure
High blood pressure should be diagnosed using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (repeated measurements throughout a 24-hour period)), which is not only more clinically accurate than clinic-based measurements but is better value for money, according to University of Birmingham research published online today in the Lancet . The research has helped to shape brand new guidelines announced today by NICE which radically alter how hypertension is diagnosed and treated. These recommend that a diagnosis of high blood pressure should be confirmed using 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) or home monitoring (HBPM) rather than solely on measurements taken in a clinical setting. High blood pressure is a leading risk factor for heart disease and stroke worldwide and is the most common reason for a primary care consultation for a chronic disorder in the UK, with at least a quarter of adults suffering from hypertension. The study, which was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), was a collaborative project involving institutions from across the UK, including researchers from NICE, Barts, the University of London and the Universities of Birmingham, Oxford, Cambridge and Leicester Using a hypothetical primary care population aged 40-plus, with a screening blood pressure measurement of greater than 140/90 mm Hg, the researchers compared three diagnostic strategies - further blood pressure monitoring in a clinic, monitoring at home and measurements using a mobile monitor - to assess lifetime costs, quality-adjusted life years and cost effectiveness.
