What is 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring?

Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM)

Correct BP measurement is very important in diagnosing high BP. 24hours Ambulatory BP monitoring is the best method to diagnose truly high BP as it measures BP when we are doing routine activities of  our daily life .It measures BP both during daytime and night time .

Normally during night time BP should come down slightly. In some patients with high BP the night time fall does not happen. In some patients it might infact rise. This can be detected by 24 hours AMBP only.

In an AMBP readings are taken every 20 to 30 minutes during the day and every hour at night. The heart rate is also  measured at the same time.It is usally recorded for 24 hours and the average values are calculated.

24 hours AMBP is mainly used in the following conditions:

1.Resistant hypertension- BP not controlled even with 3 tablets

2.Orthostatic hypotension – Symptoms like giddiness when getting up from lying down position

3.Fluctuating BP during every visit

4.Pregnancy with high BP

5.Confirmation of high BP when there is a discrepancy between BP recording and ECG,ECHO  changes

6.To diagnose rise in BP that may occur during sleep