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[Blood pressure monitors in primary healthcare centres]

Nils Moe1, Linn Getz, Ketil Dahl

  • 1Allmennmedisinsk forskningsenhet, Institutt for samfunnsmedisin, Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet (NTNU), 7489 Trondheim, Norway. nimoe@online.no

Tidsskrift for Den Norske Laegeforening : Tidsskrift for Praktisk Medicin, Ny Raekke
|June 23, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Few Norwegian clinics calibrate blood pressure monitors, despite mercury sphygmomanometers being phased out. Establishing quality assurance routines for blood pressure measurement devices is crucial for accurate hypertension management.

Area of Science:

  • Clinical Medicine
  • Cardiovascular Health
  • Primary Care Technology

Context:

  • Blood pressure monitoring is a fundamental clinical procedure.
  • Hypertension diagnosis and management carry significant individual and economic burdens.
  • Traditional mercury sphygmomanometers are being replaced, necessitating updated equipment standards.

Purpose:

  • To evaluate the types of blood pressure monitors currently used in Norwegian general practice.
  • To determine the extent to which calibration and control routines are implemented for these devices.

Summary:

  • A 2007 survey of 45 Norwegian primary healthcare centers found only 6% of 320 blood pressure monitors were mercury type; most were aneroid or oscillometric.
  • Despite the prevalence of automated and 24-hour monitors, only 4% of responding general practitioners reported established calibration routines.
  • The study highlights a gap in quality assurance for blood pressure monitoring equipment in Norwegian primary care.

Impact:

  • Recommends the establishment of standardized routines for the quality assurance of blood pressure monitors.
  • Aims to improve the accuracy and reliability of blood pressure measurements in primary healthcare.
  • Informs the development of national guidelines for blood pressure monitoring equipment selection and maintenance.
Abstract

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