24 Hour Ambulatory BP Monitoring

Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) is a method of tracking blood pressure over a 24-hour period as a person goes about their daily activities. It involves wearing a portable blood pressure monitor, which automatically inflates and measures blood pressure at regular intervals, usually every 15 to 30 minutes during the day and every 30 to 60 minutes at night.

ABPM provides a more comprehensive view of a person’s blood pressure patterns compared to single-office measurements. It helps diagnose conditions like white coat hypertension (higher blood pressure in a clinical setting) or masked hypertension (normal clinic readings, high out-of-office readings). ABPM can reveal fluctuations in blood pressure during waking and sleeping hours, aiding in more accurate diagnosis and treatment decisions.

The recorded data is later analyzed by a healthcare professional, allowing them to assess a person’s average blood pressure, variations, and potential hypertensive patterns. ABPM is particularly useful for those with suspected hypertension, individuals with controlled blood pressure on medication, and those needing a more comprehensive understanding of their cardiovascular health.