Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring--comparison with office blood pressure in patients on antihypertensive therapy in private practice.
BACKGROUND
Available data on the use of 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure recordings in private practice are limited. For this purpose we studied 39 consecutive hypertensive patients on treatment in a private practice.


METHODS
Office blood pressure, 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure, daytime ambulatory blood pressure and M-mode echocardiography were undertaken in 39 consecutive hypertensive patients (21 men, 18 women) on treatment.


RESULTS
Mean 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure and mean daytime ambulatory blood pressure were lower than office blood pressure, similar to findings seen in academic settings. A blood pressure load of more than 50% was seen in 12 out of 39 patients (31%). Left ventricular hypertrophy, assessed by means of Framingham criteria, was seen in 33% of patients. A white-coat effect was seen in 15.4% of patients.


CONCLUSIONS
A large proportion (33%) of patients on treatment for hypertension had left ventricular hypertrophy, despite normal electrocardiograms. Ambulatory blood pressure measurements identified a blood pressure load of more than 50% in 31% of patients on treatment for hypertension.
Department of Internal Medicine, Pretoria Academic Hospital.
J A
JA
Ker
C J
CJ
van Wyk
P
P
Rheeder
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000379:methods*; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000379:methods*; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009819:Office Visits; D011331:Private Practice; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents