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If you have high blood pressure (hypertension), your healthcare provider may ask you to wear an ambulatory blood pressure monitor.  This is a small machine, about the size of a portable radio. You wear it on a belt. The blood pressure cuff on the monitor can be worn under your clothes and is hidden so others don’t see it. The monitor records your blood pressure about every 15-30 minutes during your day. The information collected can help your healthcare provider see if your blood pressure treatment is working.

Path to improved health

Not everyone with high blood pressure is asked to wear a monitor.  Your healthcare provider may want you to use an ambulatory blood pressure monitor:

• If you have “borderline” high blood pressure
• If you have a chronic medical condition that causes high blood pressure, including diabetes, kidney disease, and sleep apnea
• If you and your healthcare provider can’t keep your blood pressure under control
• If you have blood pressure problems caused by your other medicines
• If you have changed your medicine
• If you are pregnant and have high blood pressure
• If you have fainting spells

The monitor may help your healthcare provider find out if you are a person who only has high blood pressure when you are at the healthcare provider’s office. This is called “white-coat hypertension.” It’s called this because your blood pressure rises when you’re nervous or fearful of medical environments.  If you have this kind of hypertension, you may not need to take medicine.

How it works

The small blood pressure cuff that is connected to the monitor will automatically check your blood pressure about every 30 minutes, even while you are sleeping. You also will be asked to keep a diary of your day’s activities, so your healthcare provider will know when you were active and when you were resting. After 24 hours of monitoring, you will take the machine and your diary to the healthcare provider’s office. The blood pressure information is transferred from the monitor to a computer. Your healthcare provider will review the information with you and decide if your treatment program is working or if you need to make changes.

Things to consider

• Some people feel a little sore from the frequent pressure checks.
• Some people get a rash, but it usually goes away without treatment.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Heart and Stroke Foundation Website at:

http://www.heartandstroke.ca/

Hypertension Canada at:

https://www.hypertension.ca/en/