Holter monitoring of blood pressure

A Holter blood pressure device is worn by the patient for twenty-four hours. The device records the changes in blood pressure over a 24-hour period.

Holter monitoring of blood pressure evaluates the patient’s blood pressure levels for 24 hours, in the normal environment and activities of the patient outside the doctor’s office.

The investigation is necessary in case of elevated blood pressure readings to rule out or confirm the diagnosis of hypertension and to evaluate treatment outcomes of previously diagnosed hypertension.

During the investigation, a blood pressure cuff will be attached to the upper arm and a recorder is attached to the hip level. Usually the recorder registers blood pressure every 30 minutes during the day and every 2 hours at night. Generally, the investigation is well tolerated. Automatic cuff inflation can be cause an unpleasant pressure feeling in patients with particularly high blood pressure values. It is not recommended to make large-scale movements with the arm that is equipped with the cuff and sleep or make the arm wet (take a bath or shower, etc.).

Indications:

• Clarifying white coat hypertension if the patient’s blood pressure is elevated in a medical facility, but is normal at home;
• Clarifying known elevated blood pressure levels the level of end-organ damage;
• Estimating anti-hypertensive treatment resistance;
• General (physiological) blood pressure decline evaluation;
• Explaining symptoms caused by hypotension;
• Carotid sinus syndrome (excessive lowering of blood pressure after carotid sinus massage) and cardiac pacemaker syndrome clarification.