A patient's blood pressure often can fluctuate depending on a variety of factors including mental and physical stress. Because of this variability, a patient may have an elevated blood pressure in the doctor's office, but have a well controlled blood pressure when at home in their own surroundings. This is called white coat hypertension. Having a monitor at home can be helpful. However anxiety at home while taking one's own blood pressure, as well a limited number of readings and issues concerning accuracy, can sometimes limit the ability to correctly assess a patient's true blood pressure over the course of a day.

In order to avoid these pitfalls, MVC has a 24 hour blood pressure cuff which is worn on the arm throughout the day with a digital manometer that is worn on the belt. The cuff is automatically inflated every 20 minutes during the day and every hour between 8pm and 8am. All of these readings are then analyzed and an average blood pressure throughout the course of the day can be calculated, as well a correlation between any dramatic changes in blood pressure and patient events. Studies have shown that 24 hour blood pressures are more accurate in predicting long-term outcomes rather than single isolated readings taken in the office.*

Your cardiologist will review your blood pressure readings with you and help formulate a blood pressure regimen that is right for you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Predicting Cardiovascular Risk Using Conventional vs Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Older Patients With Systolic Hypertension JAMA, Aug 1999; 282: 539 - 546