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Health/Nutritional News

At your last doctor’s visit, did the tech take your blood pressure in both arms? He should, suggests new research.

According to a new study in The Lancet, a significant difference in blood pressure between your arms may mean you peripheral vascular disease (PVD), which increases your risk for heart attack and stroke. (Want to know your risk? Take our quiz, Are You Headed for Heart Disease?) The study showed the one-two punch is especially important if you’re already being treated for high blood pressure or diabetes. But dual blood-pressure readings also helped identify PVD in people who didn’t have other diseases, says lead study author Christopher Clark, F.R.C.P., Ph.D., of the University of Exeter.

A dual pressure reading can also help make sure you receive treatment for heart disease risk factors like high blood pressure based on your highest numbers, Dr. Clark explains. A “reproducible difference” in numbers is the key. “At a single check, if you find a difference, it really needs to be confirmed by additional sets of measurements,” explains Dr. Clark. This includes readings at different time, or even a specialized test to measure pressure in both arms at once. So don’t be overly alarmed by a difference on an initial test, or a test you give yourself at home.

Source: Men's Health News