Home blood pressure elevation by self-measurement.
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether self-measurement could raise the blood pressure of a patient whose home blood pressure is higher than the office blood pressure measurements taken by a physician. DESIGN: Case report: a 78-year-old woman measured her own blood pressure at office using a home blood pressure monitor (test). The control data were taken when no self-measurement was made. Under test and control conditions, her blood pressure and pulse rate recordings were taken at 2 min intervals using an ambulatory blood pressure monitor. RESULTS: The patient's blood pressure and pulse rate rose transiently and reproducibly as a result of self-measurement but did not rise during the control measurements. CONCLUSION: Self-measurement could increase blood pressure in this patient. This case suggests that blood pressure in some hypertensive patients could be elevated by self-measurement.
Asai
Y
Futanazu Clinic, Futanazu, Misaki, Nishiuwa, Ehime, Japan.
Nago
N
Kario
K