title: [Blood pressure self-monitoring as a basis for antihypertensive therapy].
abstract: The diagnosis of hypertension is complicated by the fact that the blood pressure varies greatly, depending on physical and mental stresses. In the doctor's office in particular, measurements are often too high (white coat hypertension). A practicable and inexpensive supplementary method as a means of avoiding inaccurate measurements, is to have the patient take his/her own blood pressure. This approach enables numerous measurements to be obtained, which more accurately reflects the true situation than the one-off measurement in the physician's office. Furthermore, self-measurement can also reveal therapeutic effects more reliably, and has a greater predictive value for organic damage. Patients who measure their own blood pressure should first receive comprehensive instruction in the technique, and should be required to record their measurements.
authors.affiliation: Reha-Klinik Wehrawald der BfA, Todtmoos, Schwarzwald. wehrawald-bfa@t-online.de
authors.forename: I W
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Franz
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000295:instrumentation; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D012648:Self Care; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents