Factors associated with probability of patient rejecting a repeat 24???h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, despite recommendation by the physician

OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to find out factors associated with patient acceptance of repeat 24 h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) using the Mobil-O-Graph ambulatory blood pressure monitor. METHODS: Six hundred and fifty patients had ABPM performed between July 1999 and Oct 2000. Following 24 h ABPM patients were asked to complete 13-item questionnaire. RESULTS: Ninety-five percent of the patients were willing to have 24 h ABPM repeated. There was no relation to patient's refusal to further ABPM with gender, age, height, weight, BMI, arm circumference, clinic blood pressure or 24 h ABPM profile. Patients were unlikely to have 24 h ABPM repeated if they found the monitor heavy and cumbersome (68%), if the monitor interfered with sleep (45%), or if they were so disturbed by the 24 h ABPM that they considered switching the monitor off (93%). CONCLUSIONS: Most patients were willing to have repeat ABPM using the Mobil-O-Graph and reported few problems with monitor noise, heaviness and interference with sleep. These factors however still remain significant and need more technological attention and innovation from the manufacturers.