Around-the-clock BP monitoring?

January 14, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: My doctor has indicated that he wants a 24-hour blood-pressure reading on me. I just returned from my ophthalmologist’s office for a routine visit and asked him about this. I am uninformed but was surprised a specialist would not have heard of it, either. Can you fill in the blanks?

DEAR READER: The use of ambulatory blood-pressure monitoring (ABPM) for 24 hours has gained greater acceptance for several reasons. A situation known as white-coat hypertension occurs in up to 32 percent of patients, and this particular testing unit can monitor the condition. It can also delineate circadian variations in readings and pick up on drug-induced orthostatic hypotension and episodic primary hypertension. [Read more...]

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Time of day matters for BP monitoring

March 24, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: If a doctor recommends that you (an elderly person) monitor blood pressure a couple of times a week, is there a time of day when it is best to take it? Is it lower in the morning, afternoon or evening?

DEAR READER: To get an accurate measure of what your blood pressure is averaging, it is usually best to check in the morning and again at night. Be sure to keep a record of what time you take the readings. It may also be helpful to make a list of physical activities each day and what time they occurred, since exercise, for example, can raise the blood pressure during and immediately following. Salt may also increase blood pressure.
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