The significance and importance of monitoring blood pressure at home

For the correct method of measuring blood pressure, most hypertensive patients may not be very clear. First, the subjects are required to rest for at least 5 minutes before starting the measurement. Take a sitting position and measure the blood pressure of the upper arm. The upper arm should be placed at the level of the heart. Cannot speak during the measurement. It is recommended to use a proven upper arm medical electronic blood pressure monitor. The patient’s right upper limb is bare, straightened and abducted for about 45°. The cuff airbag hose avoids the brachial artery. The cuff is tightly attached to the skin and tied to the upper arm. The lower edge is 2 to 3 cm from the elbow crest; the cuff should not be too tight or If it is too loose, it is generally better to be able to reach one finger. When measuring blood pressure, the measurement should be repeated 1 to 2 minutes apart, and the average value of the 2 readings should be taken and recorded. If the difference between the two readings of systolic blood pressure or diastolic blood pressure is more than 5mmHg, it should be measured again and the average value of the three readings shall be recorded. And because of the dynamic changes in blood pressure, we should measure blood pressure multiple times throughout the day to be able to observe the variability of blood pressure.

With further research on hypertension in recent years, it has been found that its damage to related target organs, cardiovascular events, and all-cause death are not only related to the level of blood pressure, but also closely related to blood pressure variability. Patients with higher blood pressure variability have a significantly increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events in the future. Blood pressure variability can predict target organ damage in hypertensive patients. At present, it is mainly reflected in heart damage, brain damage, kidney damage, and atherosclerosis. Increased blood pressure variability damages the vascular endothelium of the target organs and promotes the occurrence of atherosclerosis. In particular, the greater the blood pressure variability, the greater the damage to the target organs.

Different types of antihypertensive drugs have different effects on blood pressure variability. Previous studies have suggested that calcium antagonists and diuretics can reduce blood pressure variability in patients with hypertension.

In summary, blood pressure monitoring is very important for patients with hypertension. We need to pay attention not only to blood pressure levels, but also to monitor blood pressure variability. Patients need to monitor blood pressure multiple times a day at home to avoid excessive blood pressure variability. Target organ damage caused.