Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) is a method of continuously monitoring blood pressure over a 24 hour period, providing a comprehensive and dynamic assessment of an individual’s blood pressure allowing insights into blood pressure variations during daily activities and sleep. This non-invasive diagnostic tool provides a realistic picture of an individual’s blood pressure patterns, enabling your doctor to make informed decisions about diagnosis and treatment.
How ABPM Works
ABPM device has a blood pressure cuff and a mechanism for recording blood pressure at regular intervals, typically every 15 to 30 minutes during waking hours and less frequently during sleep. This continuous monitoring allows for creating a 24-hour blood pressure profile, showcasing fluctuations in blood pressure throughout the day and night.
Indications for ABPM
ABPM is particularly useful in various clinical scenarios:
- Diagnosing White Coat Hypertension
- Assessing 24-Hour Blood Pressure Patterns
- Evaluating Treatment Effectiveness
- Identifying Masked Hypertension
If you have concerns about having high blood pressure or are wondering if you might benefit from an ABPM test, do speak to your doctor for a discussion.
