6
Recommended use of ambulatory blood pressure
monitoring
The European Society of Hypertension has published recommendations
for ambulatory blood pressure measurement (O’Brien, E. et al. on Behalf of
the European Society of Hypertension Working Group on Blood Pressure
Monitoring, European Society of Hypertension recommendations for
conventional, ambulatory and home blood pressure measurement, Journal of
Hypertension 2003, 21: 821-848).
Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring can bene¿ t patients with in many
situations.
Indications
• Suspected white-coat hypertension
• Suspected nocturnal hypertension
• To establish dipper status
• Resistant hypertension
• Elderly patient
• As a guide to antihypertensive drug treatment
• Type 1 diabetes
• Hypertension of pregnancy
• Evaluation of hypotension
• Autonomic failure
On the contrary, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring should be avoided in
several situations.
Contraindications
• Non-cooperative patients, unconscious or otherwise incapable patients
• Patients requiring urgent / emergency cardiac care
• Patients with coagulation disturbances
• Patients with serious mobility or other impairments without supervision
• Children without supervision; children younger than 8 years
• Though the blood pressure measurement algorithm used in the
OMRON M24/7 has been found to function properly on patients with
atrial ¿ brillation or other common arrhythmias, the oscillometric blood
pressure measurement method is generally recommended for use only
with special caution in patients with arrhythmias, Parkinson’s disease, or
other diseases with tremors.
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