Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in cerebrovascular and retinal vascular disease.
The advent of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring has led to an improved reliability of blood pressure measurement. A consensus has emerged that such monitoring of blood pressure more closely identifies hypertensive organ damage than does office blood pressure. The application of this technology to various aspects of vascular disease is increasing and cerebrovascular disease is no exception. There is preliminary evidence that patients whose blood pressure does not drop at night are at added risk for cerebrovascular disease. To complicate matters, patients with an exaggerated drop of blood pressure during sleep may also be at increased risk. Finally, valid concern has been raised that nocturnal hypotension may accelerate visual loss in certain subgroups of subjects with eye disease. These preliminary findings will stimulate further work in this promising and important area.
Mansoor
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University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA.
White
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