New Blood Pressure Measurement: A Breakthrough
- A new approach to interpreting blood pressure measurements taken at the ankle could significantly benefit individuals unable to have their arm blood pressure assessed.
- The study, published in BMJ Open, analyzed data from over 33,000 participants.
- High blood pressure affects over a billion people worldwide, increasing the risk of heart, brain, and kidney diseases.
A breakthrough in blood pressure measurement offers improved accuracy. A new method for interpreting ankle blood pressure readings developed by the University of Exeter Medical School could prevent thousands of misdiagnoses of high blood pressure. Using data from over 33,000 participants, researchers have created an online calculator that healthcare professionals and patients can use to better understand ankle blood pressure readings. This innovative approach addresses the challenges of inaccurate readings and provides a more personalized way to assess this vital health metric, especially for those who cannot have their arm blood pressure assessed. This research is vital for the global population impacted by high blood pressure and could revolutionize preventative care. News Directory 3 is proud to share this news. Discover what this means for the future of blood pressure monitoring.
New Method for Ankle Blood Pressure Readings Prevents Misdiagnosis
Updated June 12, 2025
A new approach to interpreting blood pressure measurements taken at the ankle could significantly benefit individuals unable to have their arm blood pressure assessed. Researchers at the University of Exeter Medical School have developed a personalized predictive model to more accurately estimate arm blood pressure from ankle readings.
The study, published in BMJ Open, analyzed data from over 33,000 participants. The team created an online calculator for health care professionals and patients to effectively interpret ankle blood pressure readings, offering an improved method compared to previous techniques.
High blood pressure affects over a billion people worldwide, increasing the risk of heart, brain, and kidney diseases. Accurate blood pressure measurement is crucial, but arm measurements aren’t always feasible. While blood pressure can be measured at the ankle, these readings tend to be higher then those taken at the arm. Current guidelines rely on arm readings, complicating accurate estimations from ankle measurements and possibly leading to misdiagnoses of high blood pressure.
Professor Chris Clark from the University of Exeter Medical School, who led the study, stated the new method will give a more accurate blood pressure reading for around two percent more people. He added that this equates to 750 fewer potential misdiagnoses per year in England alone, and tens of thousands globally.
Researchers used statistical modeling on arm and ankle blood pressure readings from 33,710 people to describe the relationship between arm and ankle blood pressures. This research could help address health inequality by providing accurate and personalized blood pressure measurements for people who previously could not have their blood pressure measured accurately from their arm.
someone in the UK has a stroke every five minutes, with high blood pressure accounting for around half of those,” said Juliet Bouverie OBE, CEO of the stroke Association. “Around two-thirds of stroke survivors will leave hospital with some form of disability, including paralysis in an arm, which can prevent getting accurate blood pressure readings from the affected limb.
Bouverie added that accurate ankle blood pressure readings will not only provide benefits in the primary prevention of stroke, but importantly in easing the minds of stroke survivors.
This research has identified an ingenious solution to an crucial problem—finding a way to measure blood pressure for people who cannot have it monitored via the upper arm,” said Professor Kevin Munro, Director of NIHR’s Research for Patient Benefit Program.
Munro said that keeping track of blood pressure is a vital tool to help keep people healthy and this research will help to spot high blood pressure and treat it even more widely.
What’s next
The researchers hope their online calculator will be widely adopted by health care professionals, leading to more accurate diagnoses and better management of high blood pressure, notably for those unable to have their arm measured.