Blood Pressure links

1. Factual links
   • 1.1 EU regulations or reports on blood pressure measurement and mercury-containing devices
   • 1.2 Q&As and FAQs on mercury and blood pressure measurement
   • 1.3 Other websites
2. Other views

1. Factual links

1.1 EU regulations or reports on blood pressure measurement and mercury-containing devices

The European Union launched its mercury strategy, currently under review, in 2005. It includes restrictions on sale of measuring devices including mercury. Details of the strategy here:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32007L0051:EN:NOT 

and the directive on sale of measuring devices is here:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32007L0051:EN:NOT 

1.2 Q&As and FAQs on nanotechnology or nanomaterials

The EU answers frequently asked questions about its mercury strategy:
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/08/808&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en 

The British Hypertension Society answers frequently asked questions about blood pressure measurement and monitoring:
http://www.bhsoc.org/faqs.stm 

The US Center for Disease Control answers frequently asked questions about the health implications of high blood pressure:
http://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/faqs.htm 

The Blood Pressure Association aqnswers frequently asked questions about blood pressure measurement and health:
http://www.bpassoc.org.uk/BloodPressureandyou 

1.3 Other websites

The UN Environment Programme organised a Global Mercury Assessment in 2002:
http://www.chem.unep.ch/mercury/Report/Final%20Assessment%20report.htm 

Its findings are summarised here:
http://www.greenfacts.org/en/mercury/mercury-1.htm 

Health Care without Harm considers the international implications of EU policy on mercury:
http://www.hcwh.org/europe/issues/toxins/mercury/laws.php 

The British Hypertension Society also publishes protocols for validation of blood pressure measuring devices, and lists of validated devices:
http://www.bhsoc.org/Blood_pressure_Publications.stm 

The International Standards Organisation (ISO) produced detailed guidance on testing blood pressure measurement devices

The UK Medicine and Health Care Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) publishes guidance on when to replace mercury devices, and what replacement to choose at:
http://www.mhra.gov.uk/Publications/Safetyguidance/DeviceBulletins/CON2024245 

2. Other Views

[none that I am aware of, or can locate – this is not a controversial subject]