The Norwegian office-, home-, and ambulatory blood pressure study (NOHA).
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the use of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in comparison with home and office blood pressure in every-day general practice.


METHODS
In a multicenter survey sixty-two practitioners previously unfamiliar with ambulatory blood pressure monitoring performed a total of 1162 (mean 18 +/- 16; range 3-94) 24-h ambulatory- and home blood pressure measurements in normotensive subjects or patients with untreated or treated hypertension.


RESULTS
In subjects with office blood pressure <140/90 mmHg average 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (Tenso 24 monitors) was 126/79 mmHg, home blood pressure (Tenso Plus semiautomatic sphygmomanometers) was 128/ 84 mmHg, and office blood pressure (standard sphygmomanometer) was 130/82 mmHg. Patients with office blood pressure > or = 140/90 mmHg had 24-h ambulatory blood pressure averaging 141/88 mmHg, home blood pressure 149/93 mmHg, and office blood pressure 157/95 mmHg. The difference between office-, home-, and ambulatory blood pressure increased with age. Expected differences were found between the three blood pressure modalities according to indication of examination (borderline -, "white-coat" -, and therapy refractory hypertension). Indices of hypertension related end-organ damage were positively correlated with home and ambulatory blood pressure but not with office blood pressure. Overall the performance of home- and ambulatory blood pressure in this general practice setting was similar to that seen by specialized blood pressure units.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates the practical utility of home- and ambulatory blood pressure measurement in every-day general practice. Both methods are easy to introduce and the quality of blood pressure data obtained in every-day general practice are comparable to those obtained in hypertension clinics and trial centers.
Omvik
Per
P
Institute of Internal Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. Per.Omvik@med.uib.no
Gerhardsen
Gerhard
G
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000419:Albuminuria; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015924:Blood Pressure Monitors; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D009819:Office Visits; D018579:Patient Selection; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018401:Sample Size; D012648:Self Care
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations