Blood Pressure Screening by Outpatient Physical Therapists: A Call to Action and Clinical Recommendations

Hypertension (HTN) is among the leading global preventable risk factors for cardiovascular disease and premature mortality. Early detection and effective management of HTN have demonstrated significant reductions in mortality, morbidity rate, and health care costs. Furthermore, screening for HTN by nonphysician health care providers improves detection rates and medical management. As physical therapist practice advances to a more independent care model, physical therapists may serve as the first point of contact into the health care system, thereby necessitating a need for routine blood pressure (BP) monitoring. This is especially relevant in the outpatient physical therapist practice setting, where there is evidence for elevated BP measures among patients, yet omission of routine screening in this setting is well documented. Leading physical therapy professional organizations include statements in their guidelines that suggest that physical therapists have a duty to provide a standard of care that protects the safety and optimizes the overall health of patients under their care. Therefore, it is imperative not only that physical therapists include BP examination into routine practice protocols but that the knowledge and skills to accurately measure and interpret BP at rest and during exercise be integrated into the standard of care. The authors suggest that the profession of physical therapy proactively embrace their potential to address the national and worldwide HTN epidemic through routine assessment of BP, appropriate referral for elevated BP measures, and exploration of HTN management by physical therapists.