ABLE-BP Tool Statement of Intended Use

The ABLE-BP tool, developed by the University of Exeter, and funded by the Stroke Association and The Thalidomide Trust, is a calculator to estimate brachial systolic blood pressure from ankle systolic blood pressure.

The tool assumes that ankle blood pressure has been measured in the supine position using a doppler probe. Equivalence to oscillometric ankle measurements cannot be assumed.

If systolic blood pressure is measured in both ankles, the higher ankle measurement should be used for calculation.

The ABLE-BP tool was developed using data from the INTERPRESS-IPD Collaboration, funded by the NIHR Research for Patient Benefit programme, grant no: PB-PG-0215-36009 and the NIHR School for Primary Care Research (https://medicine.exeter.ac.uk/health-community/research/primarycare/interpress-ipd/) Further validation was performed using data from the Southall And Brent REvisted (SABRE) study (https://www.sabrestudy.org/).

Development and validation of the tool have been performed using data from adults (aged 18 and over) from the following ethnic groups: White (American, British and European), African American, Hispanic American, British South Asian, and British African Caribbean. The tool has not been validated in other populations or age groups.

The calculator can be used by healthcare professionals to assist estimation of a brachial systolic blood pressure value from an ankle systolic blood pressure measurement. It is intended to aid interpretation of ankle systolic blood pressure readings.

The calculator offers the following options for ethnicity: White, African American, Hispanic American, British South Asian, British African Caribbean, and Other. When using the calculator to estimate brachial systolic blood pressure for people of ethnic groups other than those specified, the ‘Other’ option should be selected for ethnicity.

By viewing, using and/or accessing the ABLE-BP tool, you acknowledge and agree that this web tool is:

  1. specific for educational and medical training
  2. not certified as a medical device
  3. not intended for any clinical or diagnostic use and
  4. intended to be used solely for non-commercial, medical training and performance improvement purposes.

The ABLE-BP tool is intended for use in a routine care setting. At no time shall it be used to diagnose, treat or cure a human being's condition or in an acute or life-saving situation; support professional medical decisions, diagnosis or treatments, or replace any diagnosis, recommendation, advice, treatment or decision by an appropriately trained and licensed physician.

All rights reserved: the copyright and intellectual property rights in this website and the material contained herein are owned by the University of Exeter. For further information, permission for reproduction or further use of the copyright, please contact Innovation, Impact and Business at IPcommercialisation@exeter.ac.uk