Differing prevalence estimates of elevated blood pressure in ED patients using 4 methods of categorization☆
Partial data presented in abstract/poster form at SAEM Annual Meeting, 2005, New York, NY.
Received 10 August 2007; received in revised form 5 September 2007; accepted 5 September 2007.
Abstract
Objective
This study examined the variability of blood pressure measurements and prevalence estimates of elevated blood pressure in emergency department (ED) patients using 4 different methods of categorization.
Methods
A prospective, observational study was conducted on adult ED patients with elevated triage blood pressures (systolic ≥140 or diastolic ≥90 mm Hg). Three blood pressure measurements were obtained on all subjects and categorized as follows: (1) triage measurement only, (2) the mean of the triage and second measurement, (3) the mean of the 3 measurements, and (4) the mean of the second and third measurements.
Results
Of 2192 screened patients, 326 were included in the final analysis with mean triage systolic and diastolic blood pressures of 160 and 90 mm Hg, respectively. Prevalence estimates of elevated blood pressure in this sample ranged from 100% (reference standard: mean triage blood pressure) to the most conservative estimate of 67% (fourth method).
Conclusion
Determination of elevated blood pressure in ED patients is largely dependent on the method of blood pressure categorization.
aDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Cooper University Hospital, UMDNJ-RWJMS at Camden, Camden, NJ 08103, USA
bDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA 19141, USA
cDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Virtua Memorial Hospital, Burlington County, Mount Holly, NJ 08060, USA
Corresponding author. Department of Emergency Medicine, One Cooper Plaza, Camden, NJ 08103, USA. Tel.: +1 856 968 7347; fax: +1 856 968 8426.
☆ There was no financial or equipment support for this investigation.
ABSTRACT