The role of ambulatory blood pressure measurements in adolescence and young adults.
BACKGROUND
Ambulatory blood pressure measurements (ABPM) are currently used for the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension. It is widely recognized that the casual/clinic blood pressure is less representative of the true blood pressure than the average ABP.


METHODS
Among the 15 records for 14 patients analyzed, 80% were obtained from type I diabetics. The overall age, ranged between 11 and 23 years (mean = 17.2 years). ABPM was performed using the Quiet Trak 98 model by Welch Allyn automatic auscultatory sphygmomanometer for a 24-hour period, for those with clinic documented hypertension. The BP was considered high if recorded as systolic > 140 and diastolic > 90 for the whole period or for period I (7 am to 11 pm), and >120 systolic and >85 diastolic for period II (11 pm to 7 am), or >130 systolic and >85 diastolic for diabetic patients.


RESULTS
The BP was recorded as normal in 20% of the patients; in 33% it was normal during the daytime but high during the nighttime, and 80% of the diabetic patient were found to be nondippers during night time.


CONCLUSIONS
ABPM is helpful to exclude White coat hypertension and nondippers especially among diabetic patients.
Al-Hermi
B
B
Pediatrics, Department, Salmaniya Medical Complex, Primary Health Care, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain. alhermbadria@hotmail.com
Abbas
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000379:methods*; D003971:Diastole / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013599:Systole / Q000502:physiology*
D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors