AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE

MONITORING (ABPM)

Is a test intended to measure a patient's blood pressure periodically, outside the medical-
hospital context, during a programmable period of time, generally 24 hours a day.
WHEN IS BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORED?
The purpose of this test is to measure a patient's blood pressure, observe its variations and
alterations in relation to the different phases and activities of the day. It is also used to
evaluate the usefulness of antihypertensive therapy.
It is especially indicated when an increase in blood pressure induced by the act of the
medical visit is suspected.
AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING (ABPM) INDICATIONS:

• To assess the effectiveness of your medications, to make sure they control your
blood pressure during the day.
• They may want to see if their blood pressure stays high at night. If this is the case,
they may need to change or adjust their medications.
• Evaluation of the blood pressure profile ("dipper" or "non-dipper" or circadian
pattern reversal or "over dipper") in patients at high cardiovascular risk.
• To confirm the diagnosis of hypertension in newly diagnosed patients without
hypertensive involvement of other organs.
• To assess the response to treatment in patients with treatment-resistant
hypertension or suboptimal control or to see the degree of control in 24 hours.
CONTRAINDICATIONS FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THIS TEST:

• Suffering from frequent arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation; therefore, in these

cases it is better to use a cardiac arrhythmia monitor.
• Patients with severe physical or cognitive limitations.
 • Parkinson's disease or any other condition that conditions permanent tremor of the
patient.
• Arterio-venous fistula arm
• Mental disorders or intolerance to the method.
• The performance in hospitalized patients is NOT considered useful, since it is not
performed in the patient's natural environment.
HOW IS BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING PERFORMED?
The recorder is programmed to inflate the cuff every 20 minutes during the day (from 8
a.m. To 10 p.m.) And every hour at night (from 10 p.m. To 8 a.m.). Before starting to inflate
it emits a beep. Once the necessary pressure has been achieved, it will gradually decrease.
It is important that during this phase the arm is kept at rest and in extension, rigid.
The recorder has a display on which the time can usually be seen. When the cuff is inflated,
the cuff pressure is displayed. At the end of the blood pressure measurement, the blood
pressure and heart rate values of the measurement just taken may be displayed on the
recorder.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
https://www.cun.es/enfermedades-tratamientos/pruebas-diagnosticas/monitorizacion-
ambulatoria-presion-
arterial#:~:text=La%20monitorizaci%C3%B3n%20de%20la%20presi%C3%B3n,las%2024%2
0horas%20del%20d%C3%ADa.
https://cirugiacardiovascular.com.mx/operacion-a-corazon-abierto/estudios-del-
corazon/monitoreo-ambulatorio-de-presion-arterial-mapa/