Blood Pressure Measurement Anno 2016.

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Hypertension Management
• Diagnostic Techniques

Background:

• Accurate blood pressure (BP) measurement is fundamental for effective hypertension (HT) management.
• While automated office BP measurement has been implemented, out-of-office monitoring is crucial for risk stratification and treatment adjustments.
• Conventional and home BP monitoring have limitations not addressed by automated office measurements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the indispensable role of 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) in hypertension management.
• To emphasize ABPM's superiority in diagnosing specific conditions like nocturnal HT, hypotension, and masked HT.
• To advocate for increased accessibility of ABPM in clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• Review of event-driven studies and clinical trial data.
• Comparison of 24-hour ABPM with conventional, automated office, and home BP monitoring.
• Analysis of diagnostic capabilities for nocturnal HT, hypotension, and masked HT.

Main Results:

• 24-hour ABPM reliably diagnoses nocturnal HT, hypotension, and masked HT, conditions missed by other methods.
• Masked HT affects 15% of the population and carries risks comparable to sustained HT.
• ABPM is cost-effective and provides outcome-driven criteria for BP thresholds across demographics.

Conclusions:

• Ambulatory BP monitoring is mandatory for the proper management of hypertension.
• Healthcare providers must facilitate access to ABPM in primary and specialized care settings.
• ABPM enables accurate risk stratification and personalized antihypertensive drug treatment.