[Evaluation of the importance of ambulatory blood pressure measurement in the diagnostic and therapeutic management of hypertension].
OBJECTIVE
evaluate, in a Public Health approach, the contribution of ambulatory blood pressure recordings (ABPR) in the diagnostic and therapeutic management of hypertension.


METHODS
a retrospective study is led among 32 physicians who have addressed 473 patients for ABP: 182 for borderline hypertension (B-H) diagnosis, 94 for treatment decision (NT-H) and 197 for a therapy efficiency assessment (T-H). ABPR is performed with the non invasive Spacelabs device on a 24 hour period. The data interpretation is provided by statistical comparison of patient's data with those of a same age and sex 30 normotensive subjects group.


RESULTS
The table presents the action of physician according to the ABPR motive and answer: TT = therapy, NT = no therapy, ADJ = adjustment, NADJ = no adjustment. (Table: see text).


CONCLUSIONS
physicians follow drastically ABPR interpretation: a large number of patient avoid a treatment (68 percent of B-H group and 63 percent of NT-H group), the therapy is modified for 40 percent of the T-H patients. Such evidence may have some Public Health implications.
D000328:Adult; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000379:methods*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
Evaluation de l'intérêt de la mesure ambulatoire de la pression artérielle dans la conduite diagnostique et thérapeutique des hypertendus.