Blood pressure measurement techniques: Assessing performance in outpatient settings of a tertiary-level hospital in Rwanda

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of mortality globally. Hypertension is a known modifiable risk factor for CVD. Diagnosis and management of hypertension hinges upon accurate blood pressure (BP) measurement. In this study, we assessed performance to recommended guidelines for BP measurement in Rwanda. In 2017, a cross-sectional study investigating performance on 11 techniques recommended for BP measurement was undertaken across outpatient settings of 3 departments at the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, Rwanda. Performance was checked by an inside observer. The study enrolled 164 patients. The overall mean performance on the 11 BP measurement techniques was 5.69 (±1.02) out of the 11 possible points. There was no significant difference in performance across departments (P =.28). The findings suggest that performance on currently recommended guidelines for BP measurement is not optimal. Going forward, it is important to implement interventions that will enhance performance given that diagnosis and management of hypertension depend upon accurate BP measurement.