Washington: Although for years, medical experts have considered sitting with feet on the ground as the standard position for checking blood pressure, recent research challenges this notion.
A new study suggests that measuring blood pressure while lying flat on one’s back may yield more accurate results.
Presented at the American Heart Association’s High Blood Pressure Scientific Sessions, the research involved studying over 11,000 American adults.
It found that individuals with high blood pressure, whether sitting upright or lying flat on their back, were at higher risk for heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and premature death compared to those without high blood pressure.
Researchers also found that adults with high blood pressure measured while lying flat on their back, but not sitting, had a significant risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and premature death.