Home blood pressure monitoring schedule: optimal and minimum based on 2122 individual participants' data

Home blood pressure (HBP) monitoring has become a primary method for hypertension diagnosis and management. This analysis aimed to investigate the optimal and minimum schedule for HBP monitoring.

A retrospective analysis of cross-sectional data was performed, which involved HBP and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) monitoring in adults performed within the context of clinical studies in Finland, Greece and UK. Participants with six to seven HBP monitoring days and at least 12 HBP readings were included. The stability of HBP was assessed by evaluating the average value of an increasing number of readings and its variability (SD). Its association with awake ABP was also assessed.

Data from 2122 participants were analysed (mean age 53.9 ± 11.3 years, males 53%, treated 34%). A progressive HBP decline was observed in succeeding days, reaching a plateau after day 3. Day 1 HBP was higher than in the next days by about 2.8/1.4 mmHg (systolic/diastolic, P < 0.001). In a 3-day HBP monitoring schedule, the exclusion of day 1 reduced average HBP and SD, with a clinically important HBP decline in 115 participants (5%) and different hypertension diagnosis in 120 participants (6%). For schedules including more than three HBP monitoring days, the exclusion of day 1 had negligible impact. The 3-day average HBP was strongly correlated with awake ABP, with a little improvement thereafter.

These data support the recommendation for 7 days of HBP monitoring with a minimum of 3 days. Readings of the first day should be discarded, particularly when the minimum 3-day monitoring schedule is obtained (average readings of second and third day).