News - Hypertension Week of August 3, 2003/ Vol. 2 No. 31

All adults should have their blood pressure regularly checked by a physician, according to an independent task force of primary care and preventative health experts.

As reported in the August issue of the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, the recommendation by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is an update of its 1996 review on screening for hypertension.

The task force said it found good evidence that such tests can identify adults whose high blood pressure places them at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

"Available studies have found no important adverse effects on psychological well-being and mixed effects on the absenteeism rates of adults who are screened and labeled as being hypertensive," concluded the task force.

However, the task force found insufficient evidence to recommend for or against routine screening for high blood pressure in children and adolescents. The panel said it could not determine whether treatment of elevated blood pressure in children or adolescents decreases the incidence of cardiovascular disease.

The task force acknowledged that faulty instruments, doctors' errors and variations among patients can affect the accuracy of blood pressure measurements. Panel members suggested that doctors diagnose high blood pressure only after two or more measurements taken over several weeks.

Other sources: Health Behavior News Service, Journal of Preventative Medicine 25: 2; 151-158