Home Ambulatory BP Recording Advice

[Bod88]

Hello

I have been asked by GP to provide a slightly more in depth home ambulatory blood pressure reading during waking hours - 3 in morning and 3 in the afternoon/early evening for 7 days.

I am currently on 2 meds and always have higher BP in surgery (white coat syndrome or just more stressed).

I was advised to take 2 readings for each 1 min apart and record the lowest and then average the 6 readings each day.

My recordings seem to fluctuate massively. If I take 4 readings for instance (not 2) each a minute or so apart I typically go from 150/95 down to 125/75 on the 4th attempt.

Is recording 125/75 cheating as it is basically taking more readings until you get the correct result or should I use the higher figure. Anyone else have a similar experience?

Thanks

Bod

[Madlegs1]

The lower reading is more likely to be the realistic one.

Recent research showed that delaying measurement between readings is not necessary.

Just take the 4 readings ,straight after each other and accept the lowest.

If your surgery is serious about getting a 24 hrs picture, there are ambulatory devices which automatically take readings every 30 minutes during the day and hourly at night for 24 hours.

I just had one done the other day.

Just a cuff on the arm which reads and records the BP . No wires or holster . Great job.

[Happyrosie]

as Madlegs says. But, the ambulatory 24 hour monitor may no longer be available (there’s a several month wait at my GP and other local,surgeries don’t offer this - so I’m told by friends.).

[Bod88 in reply to Happyrosie]

Thanks both. My surgery no longer offers the 24 hr ambulatory service. The equipment was actually borrowed on request from the nearest hospital and kept going missing!

[katieoxo60]

Hello Bod88, when I have to submit GP readings I do two a day for a week then they average them on the computer. Its usual to have an ambulatory reading done by GP and they supply the machine this is normal if you take BP lowering drugs. My GP has a BP clinic at the surgery so they have the necessary machine otherwise its from the hospital BP clinic. When seeing DR they usually take more than one reading in surgery. So I would just do what is asked and put the lowest reading down. Or more than one reading for an average , it just makes it look like the GP is monitoring you. Good luck hope it is only white coat syndrome, mine is not the hospital visits just stress me out adding to the number. 🙂