Review
Ambulatory blood pressure readings. Its clinical usefulness [Medición ambulatoria de la tensión arterial. Su utilidad en la clínica]
Fecha
2005Autor
Fonseca Reyes, S.
Parra Carrillo, J.Z.
Institución
Resumen
Inherent inaccuracy of the auscultatory technique, mercury sphygmomanometers banned in some states and hospitals, and the development of electronic devices to measure blood pressure have all led to the creation of other measurement techniques for the diagnosis and follow-up of arterial hypertension. Blood pressure measurements with automatic devices allow the collection of multiple readings outside the office, that is, at home or at work. This method is known as ambulatory measurement, and it includes two techniques: self-measurement and 24-hour ambulatory readings. These two procedures provide more precise and accurate blood pressure readings and have shown better association with the presence and development of target organ damage, as well as prediction of cardiovascular mortality. For almost 10 years several international organisms have designed and published recommendations for their application in the clinical setting; main indications for ambulatory blood pressure monitoring are white coat hypertension and assessment of antihypertensive treatment. The most important features of both techniques are described in this paper, along with their usefulness in evaluating a patient with persistent high blood pressure readings, using the auscultatory method.