Table of Contents

Component Description

This section provides data for three consecutive blood pressure (BP) measurements and other methodological measurements to obtain an accurate blood pressure.

Eligible Sample

Heart rate is measured on all children 0-7 years of age; radial pulse is measured on examinees 8 years and older; and blood pressure (BP) is measured on all examinees 8 years and older.

Protocol and Procedure

After resting quietly in a seated position for 5 minutes and once the participants maximum inflation level (MIL) has been determined, three consecutive blood pressure readings are obtained. If a blood pressure measurement is interrupted or incomplete, a fourth attempt may be made. All BP determinations (systolic and diastolic) are taken in the mobile examination center (MEC). Participants with any of the following on both arms were excluded from the exam: rashes, gauze dressings, casts, edema, paralysis, tubes, open sores or wounds, withered arms, a-v shunts, radical mastectomy, or if BP cuff does not fit on the arm.

Quality Assurance & Quality Control

The BP examiners are certified for blood pressure measurement through a training program from Shared Care Research and Education Consulting. Certification is achieved when physician examiners meet all requirements of the training program. The initial training includes:

  • didactic instruction about BP measurement and propensity for error;
  • practicing listening to systolic and diastolic BP sounds using a standardized audio-video  tape presentation;
  • an audio-video tape test;
  • a written exam;
  • simultaneously listening to BP on a minimum of 20 volunteers, of all ages, through a Y- stethoscope to compare measures with a gold standard instructor who does the same.

Certification requires a score of 100 percent on the audio-video tape test. Correct answers on the audio-video tape test require the examiner’s answers and the standardized test answers to be within +/- 2mm of mercury (Hg) on 92 percent of 24 measures (12 systolic, 12 diastolic), and within +/- 4mmHg on 100 percent of 24 measures (12 systolic, 12 diastolic).

For more details on the QA/QC process for this component, please refer to the Physician Section of the MEC Operations Manual located on the NHANES website at the following link: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/continuousnhanes/default.aspx?BeginYear=2009

Data Processing and Editing

The following are some specifications used in capturing the BP data:

Systolic blood pressure and maximum inflation level cannot be greater than 300 mmHg;

Systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements and the maximum inflation level can be even numbers only;

Systolic blood pressure must be greater than diastolic blood pressure;

If there is no systolic blood pressure, there can be no diastolic blood pressure;

Diastolic blood pressure can be zero.

Analytic Notes

Changes Since 2009-2010:

There was no change since 2009-2010.

Exam sample weights should be used for analyses.

Please refer to the NHANES Analytic Guidelines and the on-line NHANES Tutorial for further details on the use of sample weights and other analytic issues.

 

Codebook and Frequencies

SEQN - Respondent sequence number

Variable Name:
SEQN
SAS Label:
Respondent sequence number
English Text:
Respondent sequence number.
Target:
Both males and females 0 YEARS - 150 YEARS

PEASCST1 - Blood Pressure Status

Variable Name:
PEASCST1
SAS Label:
Blood Pressure Status
English Text:
Blood Pressure Status
Target:
Both males and females 0 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Complete 9004 9004
2 Partial 1 9005
3 Not done 333 9338
. Missing 0 9338

PEASCTM1 - Blood Pressure Time in Seconds

Variable Name:
PEASCTM1
SAS Label:
Blood Pressure Time in Seconds
English Text:
Blood Pressure Time in Seconds
Target:
Both males and females 0 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
2 to 2144 Range of Values 9004 9004
. Missing 334 9338

PEASCCT1 - Blood Pressure Comment

Variable Name:
PEASCCT1
SAS Label:
Blood Pressure Comment
English Text:
Blood Pressure Comment
Target:
Both males and females 0 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
2 SP refusal 9 9
3 No time 15 24
4 Physical limitation 1 25
5 Communication problem 2 27
6 Equipment failure 0 27
7 SP ill/emergency 9 36
56 Came late/left early 239 275
84 SP with child 21 296
99 Other, specify 25 321
122 Language barrier 13 334
. Missing 9004 9338

BPXCHR - 60 sec HR (30 sec HR * 2)

Variable Name:
BPXCHR
SAS Label:
60 sec HR (30 sec HR * 2)
English Text:
60 sec HR (30 sec HR * 2)
Target:
Both males and females 0 YEARS - 7 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
52 to 188 Range of Values 1945 1945
. Missing 7393 9338

BPQ150A - Had food in the past 30 minutes?

Variable Name:
BPQ150A
SAS Label:
Had food in the past 30 minutes?
English Text:
Have you had any of the following in the past 30 minutes?: Food
English Instructions:
Check each that applies
Target:
Both males and females 8 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 1617 1617
2 No 5443 7060
. Missing 2278 9338

BPQ150B - Had alcohol in the past 30 minutes?

Variable Name:
BPQ150B
SAS Label:
Had alcohol in the past 30 minutes?
English Text:
Have you had any of the following in the past 30 minutes?: Alcohol
English Instructions:
Check each that applies
Target:
Both males and females 8 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 5 5
2 No 7055 7060
. Missing 2278 9338

BPQ150C - Had coffee in the past 30 minutes?

Variable Name:
BPQ150C
SAS Label:
Had coffee in the past 30 minutes?
English Text:
Have you had any of the following in the past 30 minutes?: Coffee
English Instructions:
Check each that applies
Target:
Both males and females 8 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 50 50
2 No 7010 7060
. Missing 2278 9338

BPQ150D - Had cigarettes in the past 30 minutes?

Variable Name:
BPQ150D
SAS Label:
Had cigarettes in the past 30 minutes?
English Text:
Have you had any of the following in the past 30 minutes?: Cigarettes
English Instructions:
Check each that applies
Target:
Both males and females 8 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 118 118
2 No 6942 7060
. Missing 2278 9338

BPAARM - Arm selected

Variable Name:
BPAARM
SAS Label:
Arm selected
English Text:
Arm selected:
Target:
Both males and females 8 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Right 7036 7036
2 Left 24 7060
8 Could not obtain 0 7060
. Missing 2278 9338

BPACSZ - Coded cuff size

Variable Name:
BPACSZ
SAS Label:
Coded cuff size
English Text:
Cuff size (cm) (width X length)
Target:
Both males and females 8 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Infant (6X12) 1 1
2 Child (9X17) 443 444
3 Adult (12X22) 2377 2821
4 Large (15X32) 3308 6129
5 Thigh (18X35) 931 7060
. Missing 2278 9338

BPXPLS - 60 sec. pulse (30 sec. pulse * 2)

Variable Name:
BPXPLS
SAS Label:
60 sec. pulse (30 sec. pulse * 2)
English Text:
60 sec. pulse (30 sec. pulse * 2)
Target:
Both males and females 8 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
0 to 172 Range of Values 7060 7060
. Missing 2278 9338

BPXPULS - Pulse regular or irregular?

Variable Name:
BPXPULS
SAS Label:
Pulse regular or irregular?
English Text:
Pulse regular or irregular?
Target:
Both males and females 0 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Regular 8906 8906
2 Irregular 121 9027
. Missing 311 9338

BPXPTY - Pulse type

Variable Name:
BPXPTY
SAS Label:
Pulse type
English Text:
Pulse type
Target:
Both males and females 8 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Radial 7072 7072
2 Brachial 7 7079
8 Could not obtain 0 7079
. Missing 2259 9338

BPXML1 - MIL: maximum inflation levels (mm Hg)

Variable Name:
BPXML1
SAS Label:
MIL: maximum inflation levels (mm Hg)
English Text:
MIL: maximum inflation levels (mm Hg)
Target:
Both males and females 8 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Hard Edits:
70.0000 to 300.0000
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
0 to 260 Range of Values 7072 7072
888 Could not obtain 7 7079
. Missing 2259 9338

BPXSY1 - Systolic: Blood pres (1st rdg) mm Hg

Variable Name:
BPXSY1
SAS Label:
Systolic: Blood pres (1st rdg) mm Hg
English Text:
Systolic: Blood pressure (first reading) mm Hg
Target:
Both males and females 8 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
74 to 238 Range of Values 6756 6756
. Missing 2582 9338

BPXDI1 - Diastolic: Blood pres (1st rdg) mm Hg

Variable Name:
BPXDI1
SAS Label:
Diastolic: Blood pres (1st rdg) mm Hg
English Text:
Diastolic: Blood pressure (first reading) mm Hg
Target:
Both males and females 8 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
0 to 120 Range of Values 6756 6756
. Missing 2582 9338

BPAEN1 - Enhancement used first reading

Variable Name:
BPAEN1
SAS Label:
Enhancement used first reading
English Text:
Enhancement used first reading
Target:
Both males and females 8 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 7 7
2 No 7054 7061
8 Could not obtain 0 7061
. Missing 2277 9338

BPXSY2 - Systolic: Blood pres (2nd rdg) mm Hg

Variable Name:
BPXSY2
SAS Label:
Systolic: Blood pres (2nd rdg) mm Hg
English Text:
Systolic: Blood pressure (second reading) mm Hg
Target:
Both males and females 8 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
74 to 234 Range of Values 6908 6908
. Missing 2430 9338

BPXDI2 - Diastolic: Blood pres (2nd rdg) mm Hg

Variable Name:
BPXDI2
SAS Label:
Diastolic: Blood pres (2nd rdg) mm Hg
English Text:
Diastolic: Blood pressure (second reading) mm Hg
Target:
Both males and females 8 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
0 to 134 Range of Values 6908 6908
. Missing 2430 9338

BPAEN2 - Enhancement used second reading

Variable Name:
BPAEN2
SAS Label:
Enhancement used second reading
English Text:
Enhancement used second reading
Target:
Both males and females 8 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 221 221
2 No 6839 7060
8 Could not obtain 0 7060
. Missing 2278 9338

BPXSY3 - Systolic: Blood pres (3rd rdg) mm Hg

Variable Name:
BPXSY3
SAS Label:
Systolic: Blood pres (3rd rdg) mm Hg
English Text:
Systolic: Blood pressure (third reading) mm Hg
Target:
Both males and females 8 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
74 to 232 Range of Values 6917 6917
. Missing 2421 9338

BPXDI3 - Diastolic: Blood pres (3rd rdg) mm Hg

Variable Name:
BPXDI3
SAS Label:
Diastolic: Blood pres (3rd rdg) mm Hg
English Text:
Diastolic: Blood pressure (third reading) mm Hg
Target:
Both males and females 8 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
0 to 128 Range of Values 6917 6917
. Missing 2421 9338

BPAEN3 - Enhancement used third reading

Variable Name:
BPAEN3
SAS Label:
Enhancement used third reading
English Text:
Enhancement used third reading
Target:
Both males and females 8 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 205 205
2 No 6854 7059
8 Could not obtain 0 7059
. Missing 2279 9338

BPXSY4 - Systolic: Blood pres (4th rdg) mm Hg

Variable Name:
BPXSY4
SAS Label:
Systolic: Blood pres (4th rdg) mm Hg
English Text:
Systolic: Blood pressure (fourth reading if necessary) mm Hg
Target:
Both males and females 8 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
78 to 226 Range of Values 447 447
. Missing 8891 9338

BPXDI4 - Diastolic: Blood pres (4th rdg) mm Hg

Variable Name:
BPXDI4
SAS Label:
Diastolic: Blood pres (4th rdg) mm Hg
English Text:
Diastolic: Blood pressure (fourth reading if necessary) mm Hg
Target:
Both males and females 8 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
0 to 130 Range of Values 447 447
. Missing 8891 9338

BPAEN4 - Enhancement used fourth reading

Variable Name:
BPAEN4
SAS Label:
Enhancement used fourth reading
English Text:
Enhancement used fourth reading
Target:
Both males and females 8 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 104 104
2 No 410 514
8 Could not obtain 0 514
. Missing 8824 9338