Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring

Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring

Blood pressure measured once in an exam room can mislead in both directions. Ambulatory monitoring records readings automatically over a full day and night.

Why it matters

• White coat hypertension — pressure that is high here and normal everywhere else.
• Masked hypertension — normal readings in the office hiding high pressure at home or work.
• Overnight pressure — readings during sleep that carry real cardiac and kidney risk.

The result is a full day of data rather than a single number, which usually settles whether medication should be started, changed, or left alone.