Prognostic significance of self-measurements of blood pressure

Background Self-measurements of blood pressure may offer some advantage in diagnostic and therapeutic evaluation and in management of patients. Howeve r, the most important limitation of self-measurement is that there are limi ted data available about the prognostic value of this information. Results Authors of several previous reports demonstrated that self-measurem ent reflects target-organ damage better than does casual measurement of blo od pressure. So far, investigators in Tecumseh and Ohasama studies have pro vided pilot data on prognostic value of self-measurements, Investigators in Ohasama study demonstrated that self-measurements predict cardiovascular m orbidity and mortality and all-cause mortality better than do casual measur ements of blood pressure. Investigators in Tecumseh study demonstrated that self-measurement can predict future development of sustained hypertension and of diastolic dysfunction, These preliminary results suggest that self-m easurements have strong predictive power for endpoints and surrogate measur es of cardiovascular target-organ damage. Conclusion The final answer on the prognostic significance of self-measurem ent has not been given. Prognostic studies designed to compare casual measu rement of blood pressure, self-measurement, and ambulatory blood pressure m onitoring are needed. (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.