printable blood pressure charts for adults

The purpose of this paper is to create a simple and practical BP screening tool to use alongside existing growth charts by the Center Of Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO). Additionally, none of these published BP charts depict lower BP thresholds below the 50th percentile. Height (stature), rather than age, is a better primary reference metric because it is a more precise measure of body size and maturation which are the primary determinants of the natural rise of BP throughout childhood. Although several simplified BP charts have been reported in literature, the available US based charts are based on outdated reference values and use age as the primary body size reference. The implementation of a simple graphical representation of a child’s BP percentile similar to growth charts currently used for height, weight, BMI, and head circumference would improve and streamline pediatric primary care. The American Academy of Pediatrics has endorsed NHLBI guidelines that recommend all children over 3 years of age have BP measured at least annually for early recognition of BP abnormalities such as hypertension or syncope, although studies have shown this screening is rarely done in children. Often these tables are used incorrectly or not at all. Instead complex BP tables consisting of 476 threshold blood pressure values are used to lookup the BP percentile for a child. While BP tracks with growth in children, similar to anthropometric measurements such as height and weight, it is not currently charted in the same way using growth charts. While adult blood pressure thresholds are static, 140/90 mmHg for hypertension and 90/60 mmHg for hypotension, each child has his/her own BP thresholds based on gender, age, and height percentile. Recognizing blood pressure (BP) abnormalities in children is more cumbersome than in adults and contributes to underdiagnoses in pediatrics.

Printable blood pressure charts for adults