Testing Blood Pressure in Ankle a Good Predictor - KCBD NewsChannel 11 Lubbock

7/9/08

Testing Blood Pressure in Ankle a Good Predictor

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A simple test at the doctor's office could better predict a patient's risk for heart disease.  Measuring blood pressure in the ankle and comparing it to measurements in the arm is a test often used for peripheral artery disease. 

Researchers in Scotland reviewed 16 studies that looked at the effectiveness of this test and they found that patients with a low score had double the risk for cardiovascular death compared to patients with a high score. In some cases, test results moved patients into a "high risk" group.

Researchers say the test is an easy addition to a doctor's arsenal for determining heart disease risk.

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