Screening for orthostatic hypotension using home blood pressure measurements.

OBJECTIVE: Orthostatic hypotension is a common condition associated with adverse cardiovascular and cognitive prognosis. Screening for orthostatic hypotension consists of blood pressure measurements in supine (or sitting) and standing position during clinical consultations. As orthostatic hypotension is a poorly reproducible clinical condition, it is likely that the simple measurement carried out during consultations underestimates the true prevalence of the condition. The objective of this study is, therefore, to determine whether screening for orthostatic hypotension with home blood pressure measurements (HBPM) may improve orthostatic hypotension diagnosis without compromising the quality of the blood pressure readings.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We asked all patients with indications for HBPM in the hypertension unit and in a general medical practice to perform a series of home blood pressure measurements, ending each series with a measurement in standing position.

RESULTS: We recruited 505 patients of mean age 68 years of which 93% were hypertensive patients. The success rate of HBPM complying with the ESH criteria (12 out of 18 measurements) was 94.5%, which is comparable with previously published series of measurements. Ninety-one percent of patients measured their blood pressure at least once in standing position, and 88% of patients recorded all six standing measurements. Orthostatic hypotension prevalence defined as the presence of one episode of orthostatic hypotension was 37.47%, much higher than orthostatic hypotension prevalence measured in the same cohort in a clinic setting (15%).

CONCLUSION: The measurement of blood pressure in standing position during HBPM is feasible without altering the quality of the blood pressure readings in seated position. Our findings show that orthostatic hypotension is significantly more often detected at home by the patient than at the doctor's office, which may allow quicker initiation of preventive and therapeutic strategies.