Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2022 Jul 1;40(7):1380-1387.
doi: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000003157.

Home blood pressure monitoring schedule: optimal and minimum based on 2122 individual participants' data

Konstantinos G Kyriakoulis  1 , Angeliki Ntineri  1 , Teemu J Niiranen  2   3   4 , Annika Lindroos  2   3 , Antti Jula  2 , Claire Schwartz  5 , Anastasios Kollias  1 , Emmanuel A Andreadis  6 , Richard J McManus  5 , George S Stergiou  1
Affiliations

Home blood pressure monitoring schedule: optimal and minimum based on 2122 individual participants' data

Konstantinos G Kyriakoulis et al. J Hypertens. .

Abstract

Objectives: Home blood pressure (HBP) monitoring has become a primary method for hypertension diagnosis and management. This analysis aimed to investigate the optimal and minimum schedule for HBP monitoring.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of cross-sectional data was performed, which involved HBP and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) monitoring in adults performed within the context of clinical studies in Finland, Greece and UK. Participants with six to seven HBP monitoring days and at least 12 HBP readings were included. The stability of HBP was assessed by evaluating the average value of an increasing number of readings and its variability (SD). Its association with awake ABP was also assessed.

Results: Data from 2122 participants were analysed (mean age 53.9 ± 11.3 years, males 53%, treated 34%). A progressive HBP decline was observed in succeeding days, reaching a plateau after day 3. Day 1 HBP was higher than in the next days by about 2.8/1.4 mmHg (systolic/diastolic, P < 0.001). In a 3-day HBP monitoring schedule, the exclusion of day 1 reduced average HBP and SD, with a clinically important HBP decline in 115 participants (5%) and different hypertension diagnosis in 120 participants (6%). For schedules including more than three HBP monitoring days, the exclusion of day 1 had negligible impact. The 3-day average HBP was strongly correlated with awake ABP, with a little improvement thereafter.

Conclusion: These data support the recommendation for 7 days of HBP monitoring with a minimum of 3 days. Readings of the first day should be discarded, particularly when the minimum 3-day monitoring schedule is obtained (average readings of second and third day).

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Stergiou GS, Palatini P, Parati G, O’Brien E, Januszewicz A, Lurbe E, et al. 2021 European Society of Hypertension practice guidelines for office and out-of-office blood pressure measurement. J Hypertens 2021; 39:1293–1302.
    1. Parati G, Stergiou GS, Bilo G, Kollias A, Pengo M, Ochoa JE, et al. Home blood pressure monitoring: methodology, clinical relevance and practical application: a 2021 position paper by the Working Group on Blood Pressure Monitoring and Cardiovascular Variability of the European Society of Hypertension. J Hypertens 2021; 39:1742–1767.
    1. Unger T, Borghi C, Charchar F, Khan NA, Poulter NR, Prabhakaran D, et al. 2020 International Society of Hypertension global hypertension practice guidelines. J Hypertens 2020; 38:982–1004.
    1. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Hypertension in adults: diagnosis and management 2019. Available from https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng136 . Last accessed 10 November 2021.
    1. Wang JG, Bu PL, Chen LY, Chen X, Chen YY, Cheng WL, et al. 2019 Chinese Hypertension League guidelines on home blood pressure monitoring. J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich) 2020; 22:378–383.

Publication types