Self-Reported Physician Adherence to Guidelines for Measuring Blood Pressure

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of hypertension, treatment, and follow-up depend on accurate measurement. This research study attempted to determine whether family physicians are all measuring blood pressure (BP) according to Canadian guidelines. METHODS: A short survey was mailed to all physicians within the Department of Family Medicine, St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. RESULTS: Fifty-one percent of the surveys were completed and returned. Eleven of the recommendations were followed "always or most of the time." BP is measured manually by 63% of the respondents, and the most frequent barrier to following the recommendations was time. CONCLUSION: The results of the survey indicated that measurement of BP according to Canadian Hypertension Education Program recommendations was felt to be important and conducted in most cases, but there is room for improvement.