THE ROLE OF AMBULATORY BLOOD-PRESSURE MONITORING IN RESEARCH

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring has a significant research role. It documents normal daily blood pressure variations and provides data regarding the relationship between essential hypertension and the circadian cycle. It permits comparisons between normotensive and hypertensive individuals, racial groups, males and females, differing age groups, and various clinical categories. It may be a better predictor of hypertension-associated end-organ changes than clinic or office measurement. It allows quantitative analysis of the high blood pressure load over time. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring can distinguish between borderline and true hypertension, can evaluate episodic hypertension, and can assess the effectiveness of antihypertensive drug therapy.