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Assessment of Vascular Function in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease
Published on: June 16, 2014
Home blood pressure monitoring in CKD
Debbie L Cohen1, Yonghong Huan1, Raymond R Townsend1
1Renal, Electrolyte and Hypertension Division, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
Insights
Home blood pressure (BP) monitoring offers a more accurate and cost-effective way to manage hypertension in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. This method provides valuable data for better clinical decisions and improved CKD outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Hypertension Management
Background:
- Hypertension is highly prevalent in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, escalating with reduced kidney function.
- Effective hypertension management is critical in CKD to mitigate risks of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Observation:
- Clinical decisions for blood pressure (BP) management often rely on potentially inaccurate in-office or dialysis unit readings.
- Home BP monitoring provides more comprehensive, accurate, and cost-effective data compared to traditional measurements.
Findings:
- Home BP monitoring is increasingly recognized for its significant role in managing BP within the CKD population.
- This approach offers a practical solution for obtaining reliable BP data, aiding in better therapeutic adjustments.
Implications:
- Implementing home BP monitoring can lead to improved BP control and potentially better cardiovascular and renal outcomes in CKD patients.
- Guidance on device selection and integration with electronic medical records is essential for optimizing its use in CKD care.
- Further research into the long-term effects and integration of home BP monitoring data is warranted.
Abstract:
Hypertension is common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the prevalence increases with declining kidney function. Hypertension management is particularly important due to the increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke in the CKD population. Most clinical decisions for blood pressure (BP) management are based on BP readings in the office or dialysis unit. These BP readings often are inaccurate. Home BP monitoring provides more data than conventional clinic or dialysis-unit BP measurements and is relatively easy to accomplish, is cost-effective, and has been shown to have an increasing role in the management of BP in the CKD population. This In Practice article focuses on the use of home BP monitoring in patients with CKD. We also provide guidance for choosing a BP monitoring device and review recent literature regarding the use of home BP monitoring and the effect on CKD outcomes. In addition, we address the future use of electronic medical records and how they may interface with home BP monitoring.
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Preparation: