Publication:

Correlation between ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and office blood pressure monitoring in healthcare professionals

Background Hypertension is a leading global risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Accurate blood pressure (BP) measurement is crucial for effective diagnosis and management. Office blood pressure monitoring (OBPM) is commonly used but may be influenced by the white coat effect and masked hypertension, leading to misdiagnosis. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), which records BP over 24 hours, provides a more comprehensive assessment, particularly in high-stress populations like healthcare professionals. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of hypertension, white coat hypertension, and masked hypertension among healthcare professionals and evaluate the concordance between OBPM and ABPM.

Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College, Jhansi, involving 300 healthcare professionals, including doctors, nursing staff, and paramedical personnel. Participants underwent both OBPM under standardized conditions and 24-hour ABPM during routine activities. The data were analyzed to compare BP readings and identify discrepancies between the two methods.

Results OBPM underestimated the prevalence of hypertension compared to ABPM. Among 300 participants, ABPM detected 26 individuals (8.67%) with masked hypertension and 17 (5.67%) with white coat hypertension. Significant discrepancies were observed, particularly in identifying nocturnal hypertension and BP variability.

Conclusions The findings highlight the limitations of OBPM in diagnosing hypertension among healthcare professionals. ABPM provides a more accurate assessment, improving hypertension detection and management. Routine use of ABPM may help mitigate cardiovascular risk by identifying undiagnosed cases of hypertension.