Adaptation to non-invasive continuous blood pressure monitoring

Summary

In this study, the Pressurometer III (Del Mar Avionics) was used to monitor blood pressure on two occasions in 17 ambulatory hypertensive patients. In 9 patients a placebo was administered between the first and the second monitoring. In the remaining 8 patients, placebo administration was discontinued prior to the first monitoring period.

Casual blood pressure and heart rate were lower during the day of the second blood pressure monitoring in both gurous of patients. Similarly, average daytime and nightime blood pressure were lower during the second monitoring in both groups of patients. The differences in daytime or nighttime blood pressures between the two monitoring periods were similar for patients who received a placebo and those who had discontinued placebo therapy prior to the first monitoring period.

The results suggest that hypertensive patients may adapt to monitoring of blood pressure. Blood pressures observed during repeated ambulatory monitorings follow the pattern of casual blood pressures; blood pressures being lower during the second observation. This tendency was observed in the presenece as well as in the absence of a placebo. Thus, administration of a placebo does not enhance the adaption of hypertensive patients to repeated monitoring of blood pressure.