Researchers have concluded that measuring your blood pressure levels at regular intervals during a 24-hour period proves a better way to predict and potentially avoid heart disasters. This is in contrast to blood pressure readings taken at a doctors office.
According to a published report in the Archives of Internal Medicine, Gil Salles, M.D., of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, and colleagues examined 556 participants diagnosed with high blood pressure. These patients used a small device that measured their blood pressure throughout the dayand nightfor a full 24 hours.
After five years of follow-up, Salles found that 19.6 percent of the patients experienced stroke, heart attack, heart failure or either died from heart disease.
The findings show that the readings taken during the day at the doctors office didnt predict these heart problems as conclusively as did the multiple nighttime readings monitored by the device.
Salles said this reinforces the value of blood pressure monitoring that gives readings over a full 24-hour period, and it underscores the predictive value of nighttime blood pressure readings in patients with uncontrolled blood pressure.
Left uncontrolled, high blood pressure can result in:
- Heart disease
- Brain injuries or stroke
- Heart attack
- Kidney failure
Salles explained that blood pressure readings done at a doctors office are often skewed due to the white coat effect, which means people often feel stress due to the presence of a physician. To avoid this, Salles and his team are recommending home monitoring for at-risk patients.