BLOOD-PRESSURE SELF-MEASUREMENT IN UPPER ARM AND IN WRIST FOR TREATMENT CONTROL OF ARTERIAL-HYPERTENSION COMPARED TO ABPM

Automatic 24-h-Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) has become an established method in the diagnosis and treatment control of arteri al hypertension. Fully automatic blood pressure devices for blood pres sure self-measurement (BPSM) in the upper arm and in the wrist using t he oscillometric measuring technique have been available in Germany fo r several years. After evaluating the blood pressure devices bose Osci llomat (upper arm) and Omron HEM-601 (wrist) by means of simultaneous invasive measurements, we studied the suitability of this new method f or the control of treated hypertension. Using the device SpaceLabs 902 07, we had ABPM carried out in 100 men (aged 58 +/- 8 years) with mild to moderate hypertension. They recorded hourly blood pressure measure ments in the wrist between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., in the same arm as the b lood pressure monitoring using the device Omron HEM-601, or in the oth er arm using the device boso Oscillomat. The values of systolic and di astolic blood pressure were measured using both methods. Since the ran dom samples probably consisted of non-standard distribution difference s, we applied the Wilcoxon matched pairs signed rank test for statisti cal analysis. No significant differences were recorded between the dai ly mean systolic (p < .07) and diastolic (p < .97) blood pressure valu es determined by ABPM and by frequent blood pressure self-measurement. Multiple blood pressure readings obtained using blood pressure self-m easurement in the upper arm as well as in the wrist are an alternative to the established, automatic 24-h, ambulatory blood pressure measure ment for the treatment control of arterial hypertension, providing tha t nightly blood pressure measurement can be omitted. It has the advant age of unrestricted and desired frequent use under standardized condit ions.