title: Supine body position is an important factor influencing postprandial ambulatory blood pressure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although body position is known to be an important factor influencing the results of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), even very recent studies assessing postprandial blood pressure (BP) have not taken into account the possibility that the examined subjects were lying down after a meal. We addressed this issue by analysing diurnal BP profiles together with subject's reports on supine rest periods and meal consumption during ABPM.
  
  
  METHODS
  The ABPM results of 109 non-medicated subjects were analysed (age 40+/-12 years, daytime BP 132/84+/-15/11 mmHg). BP and heart rate (HR) changes were assessed on the basis of 2-hour means.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects who lay down within 2 hours after a meal showed significantly greater decreases in systolic and diastolic BP and HR than individuals who did not: -10+/-10 vs. 1+/-10 mmHg, -11+/-10 vs. -3+/-7 mmHg, and -7+/-9 vs. 0+/-11 beats/min, respectively. The BP decrease was greater when the duration of supine rest was longer. There were no significant differences between BP/HR changes during those periods when the subjects lay down within 2 hours after the meal and BP/HR changes during those periods when supine rest was not preceded by a meal. The mean changes for the latter group were -9+/-10 mmHg, -11+/-8 mmHg, and -9+/-9 beats/min. for SBP, DBP, and HR, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that supine body position is an important factor, which may influence postprandial BP investigated by ABPM. Body position should always be taken into consideration when ABPM results are analysed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hypertension and Diabetology, Medical University, Gdansk, Poland. pkruszew@amedec.amg.gda.pl
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kruszewski
authors.forename: Leszek
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bieniszewski
authors.forename: Jolanta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Neubauer-Geryk
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Swierblewska
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Krupa-Wojciechowska
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000379:methods*; D003971:Diastole; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D019518:Postprandial Period; D016683:Supine Position; D013599:Systole; D013997:Time Factors