Heart health: Arm yourself with two BP readings – one from each arm
If you take your blood pressure at home, get a reading on one arm and then get a reading on the other. If the systolic number – the higher number – varies by more than 10 points between the two arms, it could be an indicator that you are at risk of heart disease, says cardiologist Dr. Wanpen Vongpatanasin, Professor of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Several studies in recent years have shown that variations in blood pressure readings on the right and left arm are associated with increased risk of death from heart attack or stroke, says Dr. Vongpatanasin, who specializes in research on high blood pressure.
“While small differences from one arm to the other are normal, larger differences suggest that cholesterol-based plaque has built up in the arteries that supply blood to the arm with the higher reading, and is likely building up in the arteries that supply the heart as well. Narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle leads to heart attacks,” Dr. Vongpatanasin says.
If you do find a large difference between readings taken from one arm to the other, consider making an appointment with a preventive cardiologist.
Dr. Vongpatanasin holds the Norman and Audrey Kaplan Chair in Hypertension
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