Self-Reported Physician Adherence to Guidelines for Measuring Blood Pressure

Article Figures & Data

Table 1. Summary of Responses from 54 Physicians

CHEP Recommendation		Always/Most Times	Sometimes	Rarely/Never	Important	Ratio (Importance to Adherence)
A	Patient should be seated comfortably, back supported, feet flat, and legs not crossed.	50 (93)	3 (6)	1 (2)	35 (65)	70
B	Patient should be resting comfortably for 5 min in a seated position before measuring BP.	42 (78)	9 (17)	3 (6)	31 (57)	74
C	The patient's arm should be bare and supported at heart level.	44 (82)	8 (15)	2 (4)	21 (39)	48
D	A cuff appropriate to the size of the patient's arm should always be used.	54 (100)	0	0	32 (59)	59
E	There should be no talking and legs should not be crossed.	47 (87)	5 (10)	2 (4)	21 (38)	45
F	At least 3 measurements should be taken, no oftener than 1 min apart.	20 (37)	17 (32)	16 (30)	14 (26)	70
G	BP should also be measured with the patient standing for 2 minutes, with arm supported.	3 (6)	9 (17)	40 (74)	1 (2)	33
H	Reading should be taken at least once on both arms. If one arm gives a considerably higher reading, that arm should be used for future measurements.	16 (30)	14 (26)	23 (43)	6 (11)	38
I	Pressure should be rapidly increased to 30 mm above the point at which the radial pulse disappears.	39 (72)	8 (15)	7 (13)	9 (17)	23
J	Cuff deflation rate should be 2 mmHg per heart beat.	36 (71)	9 (18)	6 (12)	5 (9)	16
K	In the case of arrhythmia, additional readings should be taken.	44 (82)	8 (15)	2 (4)	10 (19)	5