The role of clinic blood pressure for the diagnosis of hypertension

Purpose of review Recent data from randomized clinical trials and updates to hypertension guidelines warrant a review of the literature for the diagnosis and management of hypertension in the clinic setting. Although there have been significant advances in ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring and home BP monitoring, office BP (OBP) measurements remains the primary means of diagnosis and treatment. Recent findings The current review focuses on updated guidelines, proper technique, device selection, and the recent controversy regarding unattended BP measurements. We review the data on cardiovascular outcomes, the comparison of OBP with ambulatory BP monitoring and home BP monitoring and some of the pitfalls of OBP measurements. Summary The current review highlights the need for constant review of BP goals to minimize cardiovascular risk and some of the ongoing controversies regarding OBP measurements.
Source: Current Opinion in Cardiology - Category: Cardiology Tags: HYPERTENSION: Edited by Hector O. Ventura and Carl J. Lavie Source Type: research