Hypertension in adults may be initially screened with office BP measurement, recommends USPSTF

USA: The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has released a recommendation statement which is a reaffirmation of the 2015 recommendation statement on screening for high blood pressure in adults. 

The recommendation, published in JAMA, applies to adults 18 years or older without known hypertension.

USPSTF concludes with high certainty that screening for hypertension in adults has substantial net benefit.

The current reaffirmation clarifies that initial screening should be performed with OBPM, updates language to be more consistent with current evidence, and clarifies implementation strategies.

For developing the recommendations, the USPSTF commissioned a systematic review to evaluate the benefits and harms of screening for hypertension in adults, the accuracy of office blood pressure measurement for initial screening, and the accuracy of various confirmatory blood pressure measurement methods. 

"The USPSTF recommends screening for hypertension in adults 18 years or older with office blood pressure measurement. The USPSTF recommends obtaining blood pressure measurements outside of the clinical setting for diagnostic confirmation before starting treatment," wrote the authors. 

Reference: 

"Screening for Hypertension in Adults: US Preventive Services Task Force Reaffirmation Recommendation Statement," is published in the journal JAMA. 

DOI: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2779190