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Arterial blood pressure in adult Nigerians with sickle cell anemia
N I Oguanobi1, B J C Onwubere, O G Ibegbulam
1Department of Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria. nelifyik@yahoo.com
Aim And Objective:
This study was aimed at comparing the arterial blood pressures in steady state adult sickle cell patients with those of age- and sex-matched healthy controls.
Methods:
A descriptive cross-sectional study of 62 sickle cell anemia patients and 62 age- and sex-matched healthy controls was carried out in the adult outpatient sickle cell clinics and the cardiac center of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, Nigeria. Brachial blood pressures were measured in the right arm in all subjects.
Results:
Significant increase in pulse rate was found in the study subjects (87.68 ± 8.91 bpm) compared with the controls (72.13 ± 6.79 bpm) (p<0.05). The mean systolic blood pressure was comparable in the two groups. However, the patients had significantly lower diastolic blood pressure, lower mean arterial blood pressure, as well as a higher pulse pressure than the control subjects. Significant correlations were found between blood pressure indices and hematocrit, body mass index, frequency of crisis, and body surface area.
Conclusion:
Relatively lower arterial blood pressure is a significant finding in patients with sickle cell anemia. Hematocrit, frequency of crisis, body mass index, and body surface area are significant determinants of blood pressure indices in sickle cell anemia.
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Special considerations while measuring blood pressure
Monitoring Both Arms:
Monitoring BP in both arms during the initial assessment is advisable, as the systolic value may differ by five to ten mm Hg between arms. For subsequent BP assessments, use the arm with the higher reading.
Blood Pressure
Blood Pressure
The average BP in an adult is typically around 120/80 mmHg (millimeters of mercury). In this measurement, the numerator (120) indicates the systolic pressure, which is the pressure in the arteries during the contraction of the heart's ventricles as blood is expelled. The denominator (80) represents the diastolic...
Sites for measuring blood pressure
The Brachial Artery: Primary Site for Blood Pressure Measurement
Assessment of blood pressure in brachial artery(one-step method)
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Assessing Blood pressure in the Leg
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