Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring

ABPM is becoming more frequently utilized to assess blood pressure control and confirm or exclude the diagnosis of hypertension. The test involves wearing a blood pressure cuff attached to a recording device for 24 hours, blood pressure is monitored several times per hour during the subject’s awake hours and then hourly whilst asleep.

Optimal blood pressure control is critical to reduce the risks of cardiovascular and cerebra-vascular events; the monitor result facilitates medical management. White coat hypertension is diagnosed when the patient exhibits elevated blood pressure recordings at the doctor’s office but not during activities of daily living. Diagnosing this reduces inappropriate anti-hypertensive treatment and side-effects thereof.