In reality, we may not take blood pressure measurements.

For people with high blood pressure results only in sitting position (normal measures in lying position), there was no statistically significant difference in terms of risk of coronary disease, heart failure or stroke Compared to people with normal blood pressure. The only statistically significant differences were a 41 percent risk of deadly coronary coronary disease (compared to 78 percent observed in people with high values ​​in a lying position) and a risk 11 percent of mortality all causes.

(In this study, the arterial hypertension readings have been defined for the two positions such as those with systolic readings (the high figure) of 130 mm hg or more or diastolic readings (the lower figure) of 80 mm hg or more.)

People with the highest risks in all areas were those that presented high blood pressure in the sitting and lying position.

“These results suggest that the measurement of blood pressure in dorsal decubitus (lying) can be useful for identifying high blood pressure and a latent risk of cardiovascular diseases”, conclude the researchers.

Forces and hypotheses

For the moment, the results must be considered as preliminary. Such an analysis and these conclusions must be repeated with another group of people to confirm the link. And as for the broader question of knowing whether the use of drugs to lower blood pressure in a lying position (rather than blood pressure in a sitting position) is more effective in reducing risks, it is likely that clinical trials will be necessary .

However, the analysis has certain notable assets that make the results worthy of attention. The size and design of the study are robust. Researchers have exploited data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, a study carried out in 1987 with average age living in one of the four American communities (County of Forsyth, North Carolina; Jackson, Mississippi; County of Maryland).