OBSERVER ERROR IN RECORDING ARTERIAL BLOOD PRESSURE

Journal/Book: Reprinted from British Heart Journal Volume XXIII No. 2 pages 169-172 March 1961. 1961;

Abstract: From the Consultative Health Centre for Older People Rutherglen Lanarkshire Received September 12 1960 SUMMARY The observer error in the recording of blood pressure by two observers has been assessed with reference to 510 men and women aged 60 to 89 years. In this series the average fall of the blood pressure criteria that occurs when the second observer records the blood pressure shortly after the first observer is very small 3·0 mm. for the systolic and 0·5 mm. for the diastolic blood pressure. The observer error is significant (2·6 mm. ± 0·81)for the systolic but is not significant (0·8mm. ± 0·45)for the diastolic blood pressure. In addition the frequency distributions of the recordings of the two observers differ significantly for systolic and diastolic blood pressure. We wish to thank Dr. P. L. McKinlay for helpful guidance and the Secretary of State for Scotland for a personal grant made on the advice of the Advisory Committee on Medical Research. ___MH

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