> However, the carotid arteries may be a red flag for heart failure also. This is because, when the carotid arteries become less flexible, they do not expand properly to let blood through. This can raise blood pressure, which forces the heart muscle to work harder. Over time, this can lead to heart failure.
[...]
> A carotid ultrasound, sometimes called a Doppler scan, takes an average of 15 to 30 minutes for most people, although this can vary. A small handheld sensor is moved back and forth over the neck, generating sound waves which bounce off the arteries.
SO - why can't a simple blood pressure measurement screen for that "become less flexible" issue? Without needing any fancier equipment, higher-skill personnel, or longer test?
obpe•1mo ago
Because high blood pressure can have many transient causes: caffeine, exercise, stress, dehydration, even high salt intake. Further, other diseases can also cause high blood pressure, such as diabetes, and Hypertension (high blood pressure) is also it's own disease.
bell-cot•1mo ago
Unless non-high blood pressure is rare, this looks like optimal code
bp = TakeBloodPressure()
IF( NotHigh( bp ) )
THEN
DONE
ELSE
InvestigateCause( bp )
bell-cot•1mo ago
[...]
> A carotid ultrasound, sometimes called a Doppler scan, takes an average of 15 to 30 minutes for most people, although this can vary. A small handheld sensor is moved back and forth over the neck, generating sound waves which bounce off the arteries.
SO - why can't a simple blood pressure measurement screen for that "become less flexible" issue? Without needing any fancier equipment, higher-skill personnel, or longer test?
obpe•1mo ago
bell-cot•1mo ago