Future uses of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring: implications for therapy.
Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring can play a significant role in evaluating the effects of treatment on the circadian cardiovascular pattern of patients with ischemic heart disease and/or congestive heart disease. In ischemic heart disease, drug therapy should be designed to reduce heart rate and blood pressure throughout the 24-hour cycle, including the early morning surge. Beta-blocking agents appear to accomplish these reductions. In congestive heart failure, some patients maintain their circadian variation while others do not, leaving them without the normal period of cardiac rest during the nighttime hours. Therapy should be designed to reduce this cardiac overload, and vasodilating agents appear to accomplish this. Ambulatory monitoring is especially useful in monitoring the effectiveness of drug interventions throughout the 24-hour cycle.
Giles
T D
TD
Tulane University, School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112.
D000553:Ambulatory Care; D015924:Blood Pressure Monitors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005544:Forecasting; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*