A person’s blood pressure fluctuates during the day depending on his physical activity, body position, the medication he receives and his psychological state. The 24-hour blood pressure monitor is used assess hypertension in a more comprehensive way, as it allows cardiologists to assess blood pressure during patients’ daily activities leading to more accurate results.
What is it;
It is a portable electronic sphygmomanometer that automatically measures and records blood pressure for 24 hours. The cuff is placed on the arm and connected to a small device /recorder that is placed either at the waist in a carrying case with a belt clip or hunging from the shoulder with a special strap. The test is safe. For some patients it may be a little annoying from the repeated swelling of the cuff. Usually the measurement is done every 15-30 minutes during the day and every 60 minutes at night. When the device is returned, the measurements are analyzed to give the average blood pressure during the day, at night and for a total of 24 hours.
Where is it used?
- This device is especially useful in patients with increased blood pressure measurements in the doctor’s office (> 140/90), while the measurements made at home by the patient himself show different values (<130/80). This phenomenon is known as White Coat Hypertension.
- The patient’s measurements in the doctor’s office are normal while at home they are significantly increased (Masked Hypertension).
- Evaluation of the results of the applied treatment but also evaluation of the fluctuations of the blood pressure during the day and night. Several studies have shown that the absence of nocturnal fluctuations (lowering of blood pressure) increases the risk of stroke and coronary heart disease. In such cases the treatment must be immediate and aggressive.
Please contact us in case you need personalized detailed clarifications. This examination is performed in our office with the existing modern equipment.