The next time you have your blood pressure checked, don’t be surprised if your doctor, nurse, or other health-care provider measures it twice—once in each arm. A significant difference in the pressure recorded in the right and left arms can signal circulatory problems that may lead to stroke, peripheral artery disease, or other cardiovascular problems.
British researchers looked at the results of 20 studies in which blood pressure was measured in both arms. People with an arm-to-arm difference of 15 points or more were twice as likely to have peripheral artery disease—essentially cholesterol-clogged arteries in the arms, legs, or other non-heart parts of the body. The name may sound dismissive, but the disease isn’t. Peripheral artery disease affects at least 12 million Americans, more than heart disease and stroke combined. It kills some, maims others, and makes life painful for countless more.
A blood pressure difference of 10 to 15 points or more between arms also boosted the chances of having a stroke or dying from cardiovascular disease. The results were published online in The Lancet.
In an editorial accompanying the article, Drs. Richard McManus and Jonathan Mant of the University of Oxford say that measuring blood pressure in both arms should be part of routine medical care.
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