What is Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM)?
Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) is a method for measuring a person's blood pressure over a 24-hour period. It utilizes a portable device that is worn by the individual and records their blood pressure at regularly-timed intervals. The device is typically pre-programmed to record blood pressure every 15-20 minutes during the day and every 20-30 minutes during the night. During this time, the individual is instructed to keep an activity log of their daily activity for evaluation of stress- and activity-related blood pressure changes. ABPM is used to evaluate white-coat hypertension, drug resistance, hypotensive symptoms, episodic hypertension, and autonomic dysfunction. The upper limit of the normal range for daytime ambulatory readings is usually set to 135/85 mm Hg.