AMBULATORY BLOOD-PRESSURE MONITORING - COMPARISON WITH OFFICE BLOOD-PRESSURE IN PATIENTS ON ANTIHYPERTENSIVE THERAPY IN PRIVATE-PRACTICE

Introduction. Available data on the use of 24-hour ambulatory blood pr essure recordings in private practice are limited. For this purpose we studied 39 consecutive hypertensive patients on treatment in a privat e practice. Method. Office blood pressure, 24-hour ambulatory brood pr essure, daytime ambulatory blood pressure and M-mode echocardiography were undertaken in 39 consecutive hypertensive patients (21 men, 18 wo men) on treatment. Results. Mean 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure and mean daytime ambulatory blood pressure were lower than office blood p ressure, similar to findings seen in academic settings. A blood pressu re load of more than 50% was seen in 12 out of 39 patients (31%). Left ventricular hypertrophy, assessed by means of Framingham criteria, wa s seen in 33% of patients. A white-coat effect was seen in 15.4% of pa tients. Conclusions. A large proportion (33%) of patients oh treatment for hypertension had left ventricular hypertrophy, despite normal ele ctrocardiograms. Ambulatory blood pressure measurements identified a b lood pressure load of more than 50% in 31% of patients on treatment fo r hypertension.