The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Weighs In

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 67 million American adults (31%) have high blood pressure – that’s 1 out of every 3 adults. Depending upon the severity of the condition, typically diagnosed by in-office BP measurements, blood pressure medication and/or lifestyle modifications may be prescribed.

Although in-office BP measurements are typically used to diagnose hypertension, several studies have shown that other diagnostic options are far more reliable - specifically, the use of a 24-hour, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring device (ABPM).

Were You Properly Diagnosed?

A vast amount of physicians are diagnosing hypertension without properly assessing a patient’s blood pressure during the course of a 24-hour period using Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring. Simply put, ABPM provides valuable diagnostic information that in-clinic and home blood pressure monitoring systems are incapable of measuring including:

• BP variability and a more accurate estimation of true blood pressure
• Overnight changes in blood pressure (dipper status)
• Morning surges in blood pressure

Central aortic blood pressure (BP) measurement was a hot topic at the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) and International Society of Hypertension (ISH) 2014 Joint Meeting a few weeks ago in Athens, Greece. Most notable amongst these was the debate as to whether central BP measurements are relevant for everyday clinical practice. It’s only logical to conclude that large clinical trials are necessary prior to arguing convincingly either way - we simply need more data. However, as someone who supports the development and utilization of technological advancements, I tend to believe that there is a place in clinical practice for these contemporary characterizations of cardiovascular health.