Preface - 12th Japanese Annual Conference on chronocardiology and hypertension.

摘要

In Japan, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and self-monitoring BP at home are widely used and the practice guidelines for ABPM, as well as home BP measurements, have been published. We now know that 24-h, and in particular nighttime or morning BP, predicts future cardiovascular events better than office BP. Impaired circadian BP rhythm is also related to hypertensive organ damages and future cardiovascular events. Hence, a chronopharmacological approach is thought to be important in the treatment of hypertension in order to achieve satisfactory 24-h BP control. We do not know, however, if this treatment strategy does in fact work in the various clinical settings, nor how we could achieve the best BP control.