Reference Arm for Blood Pressure Measurement in Stroke Survivors

Abstract

Background: Averting recurrent stroke among stroke survivors requires a choice of the appropriate arm for blood pressure (BP) measurement, especially among high-risk survivors. Objectives: This study aimed at determining the appropriate arm for BP measurement in stroke survivors. Methods: This cross sectional study comprised of 100 volunteer and willing stroke survivors enrolled using the convenient sampling technique from 2 public hospitals in Maiduguri, Nigeria. Each participant's BP was measured as stipulated by previous studies. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the socio-demographics and clinical characteristics of the stroke survivors. Student's t-test for independent samples was used to compare mean BP between unaffected and affected arms of the participants. Results: Mean age and age range of the participants in years were 53.8 + 17.7 and 20 to 90, respectively. Participants that had had a stroke within the previous 7 months accounted for 69.0% of cases. Spastic stroke constituted 71%. Sides of the body afflicted with stroke were equally distributed. A significant difference (p = 0.017) existed in blood pressure between unaffected and affected arms of stroke survivors. Conclusions: Health workers involved in the management of stroke patients were advised to take blood pressure measurement from both the affected and non-affected arms; the arm with the higher value should be taken as the reference arm.