The Concerns of Blood Pressure Monitoring in Arterial Hypertension Outpatients

Aim. To analyze correctness of office blood pressure (BP) measurement by physicians and home-based BP monitoring (HBPM) — by the patients, and to assess the efficacy of patients teaching for correct BP self-measurement and control. Material and methods. Totally, 46 physicians questioned (32 local internists and 14 general practitioners with experience 2-27 years) and 290 patients with arterial hypertension (AH). Results. It was revealed that the following parameters were not unified: choice of arm, size of a cuff, times BP measured, time interval for repeated measurement, recording of BP by patients and physicians. These parameters did not suffice totally the Russian guidelines on diagnostics and treatment of arterial hypertension. About a half of BP patients by themselves corrected antihypertension treatment and dealt with the “crises”. Conclusion. Education of patients for BP measurement rules must be performed in “AH schools” and in offices (prevention departments) under supervision of local internists and general practitioners. Such events, as regular update of sphygmomanometers and supply physicians by cuffs of various size, will help to achieve better BP measurement quality in office, as in screening.