IMPLICATIONS OF BLOOD-PRESSURE VARIABILITY FOR CLINICAL AND SCREENING PURPOSES

An algorithm has been proposed [1] for screening for hypertension. The sensitivity and specificity of this algorithm depends on the magnitude of the between visit and within visit components of variability of blood pressure for any given person. The purposes of this study were to estimate these variance components in an industrial population and to explore the relationship of these components to age, to level of blood pressure and to each other. We then use the distribution of these variance components over our population to define the sensitivity and specificity of the screening procedure for an 'average' person. These parameters are then used to suggest guidelines for appropriate numbers of visits and measurements per visit for use in screening programs. © 1979.