24 hour BP Monitoring
A Non-invasive test that is normally carried out over a 24 hour period.
It provides additional information about how your changes in blood pressure may correlate with your daily activities and sleep patterns.
24 hour BP Monitoring
Your blood pressure is being measured as you move around, living your normal daily life. It is normally carried over 24 hours. It uses a small digital blood pressure machine that is attached to a belt around your body and which is connected to a cuff around your upper arm. It small enough that you can go about your normal daily life and even sleep with it on.
Non-invasive ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is being increasingly used to assess patients with hypertension. This trend is supported by evidence that 24-hour blood pressure profiles may be superior to isolated clinic pressures. This is because a 24 hour reading is more reliable than a simple one off reading. Patients often experience “white coat” hypertension (elevated BP in the presence of a doctor) and are wrongly diagnosed with high BP. Multiple readings are useful for evaluating the effectiveness of high BP treatments in patients who have commenced medication or other therapy. It is also a useful tool for monitoring BP in patients who feel weak or who are hypotensive.
Why use ambulatory blood pressure monitoring?
- Ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) may be a better predictor of cardiovascular events than clinic blood pressure readings.
- To exclude the possibility of “white coat” hypertension.
- Studies have shown that end-organ damage is more closely related to ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) than clinic blood pressure readings.
- Patients with hypertension whose nocturnal blood pressure remains high, < 10% lower than daytime average, may have a worse prognosis.
- ABP provides a 24-hour profile, allowing assessment of clinic effects, drug effects, work influence, etc.
What happens during the 24-hour ABPM?
- The small blood pressure cuff that is connected to the monitor will automatically check the blood pressure at regular intervals (about every 30 minutes), even while sleeping. A diary is given to record the day’s activities, so the doctor will know your active or resting state. The cuff can feel quite tight around the arm, but not painful.
- After 24 hours of monitoring, you will take the machine and your diary to the laboratory. The blood pressure information is transferred from the monitor to a computer. The doctor will then review the result and decide ifyour treatment program is working or if adjustments need to be done in your medicines.