Nocturnal Blood Pressure Assessment, an Entity of High Prognostic Value, Not Utilized to Its Potential in Clinical Practice

Abstract

Hypertension, a disease of epidemic proportion, is assessed by measuring blood pressure (BP). Various methods are employed, the most common being “clinic blood pressure measurement (CBPM).” However, environment and technical errors can confound it. Other methods include home blood pressure measurement (HBPM), which shows readings of awake time only, and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). A recent technique that causes less sleep disturbance is “timed HBPM.” Blood pressure is a 24-hour phenomenon, and prognostically night time blood pressure, being more important, must be assessed properly. Besides providing the precise mean of 24-hour blood pressure, it extends knowledge regarding many other parameters of clinical importance like dipping pattern and morning surge etc. For nocturnal BP assessment, 24-hour ABPM and time-triggered HBPM are utilized. The importance of nocturnal blood pressure assessment for diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of various cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular conditions would be highlighted in this review article.