Thirty-minute compared to standardised office blood pressure measurement in general practice

摘要

We read with interest the study by Scherpbier-de Haan et al regarding the use of the 30-minute blood pressure measurement in dealing with the 'white coat effect' and the accompanying editorial by Wallace and Fahey. Both highlighted the importance of having an office-based alternative to ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). This is most topical as practices react to the 2011 National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) unequivocal recommendation that 'ABPM should be implemented for the routine diagnosis of hypertension in primary care'.