Clement DL, De Buyzere M, Missault L, for the OvA
investigators
Values of 1,2,3 hour segments or ambulatory blood
pressure pattern in essential hypertension
12th Annual ASH Meeting
Am J Hypertens
(Apr) 10:61A 1997
The use of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is hampered by the
lack of trials showing that the information provided is superior to
clinic blood pressure. Preliminary evidence suggests that the average
blood pressure obtained may be superior to office blood pressure
measurement. Furthermore some aspects of the blood pressure profile
(sleep blood pressure) are only obtainable through ambulatory
monitoring. The study abstract here examines whether shorter periods
of study may predict the average daytime blood pressure.
The authors performed ambulatory blood pressure monitoring as a
substudy in the Office versus Ambulatory (OvA) BP study which is
examining the relative abilities of these two methods to predict
clinical outcome. The authors compared 1, 2, and 3 hour averages to
whole day (12 hour) averages of blood pressure in 1981 patients
enrolled. They also studied the correlation of these averages with
left ventricular mass. They found that all three shorter periods were
highly correlated with 12 hour averages and also that the correlation
coefficients with left ventricular mass were similar irrespective of
which average period was used.
Comment: These data do indeed suggest that shorter periods of
ambulatory monitoring study may substitute in certain situations for a
full 12 or 24 hour study. This shortened study would reduce cost and
improve patient tolerability. However, such short studies will not
readily identify the effects of drug therapy and can offer no
information on sleep blood pressure. The 6 hour daytime study has
previously been suggested to identify patient with white-coat
hypertension. (George Mansoor, M.D., University of
Connecticut)
To go back use the BACK button on your browser.
Otherwise click on the desired link to this article below:
12th Annual ASH Meeting
H: Exam and lab tests :
Ambulatory monitoring