Patient Instructions for 24 Hour Blood Pressure Monitor

Your doctor has requested that you undergo Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM). ABPM may be done to get a more accurate measurement of your average blood pressure, or because you have different readings in the doctor’s office than at home, or for other reasons. This test has been available for years, and many thousands of patients have undergone this test without difficulty. This is a safe and painless test. You will wear a portable blood pressure monitor on your arm for 24 hours. For your visit, please wear a shirt or blouse with loose fitting sleeves

The blood pressure cuff will be placed on your upper arm under your clothing, directly against the skin. The cuff connects with a rubber tube to the monitor. This is a small box about 3 by 4 inches in size that can be worn over your shoulder with a strap, attached to your belt, or carried in a large pocket in your clothes At night the cuff is kept on, and the monitor is placed next to you in your bed or under your pillow. You will not be able to take a bath or shower while wearing the cuff and you should not plan to do heavy exercise (that is, exercise to the point where you sweat a lot). Otherwise, you should go about your usual daily activities, including work, household tasks, and so on. The monitor will take a reading every 15 minutes during the day, and every 30 minutes at night. While a reading is being taken, the cuff will inflate and squeeze your arm firmly, just as the blood pressure cuffs used in the office or in stores do. While the cuff is inflating and deflating, it is best to try to avoid moving your arm, as this may interfere with the reading. If the monitor has trouble getting a reading, it may re‐inflate in a minute or so to try a second time. We strongly urge you to leave the cuff on for as close to 24 hours as possible. If the cuff is simply too uncomfortable (which is rarely the case), you can remove it by peeling cuff off of your arm. Do not press any of the buttons on the monitor itself. When you return the next day to have the cuff removed, the medical assistant will take off the cuff and you are free to leave.