HBPM to refine the diagnosis of hypertension in a Family Health Care Unit in RJ, Brazil - LapARC

Abstract Background The new hypertension (HT) guidelines recommend the use of out-of-office blood pressure (BP) measures for its diagnosis however, in the scope of public health in Brazil, it is still based on office BP (OBP) for logistical and financial reasons. Furthermore, in our country, it is not yet clear whether the use of out-of-office BP would really be more reliable for the diagnosis. Objective To evaluate the importance of using Home Blood Pressure Monitoring (HBPM) in diagnosing HT in a young adult population in primary care in Brazil. Methods A cross-sectional population study enrolled adults between 20 and 50 years in a primary healthcare unit in Rio de Janeiro. Office BP was the mean value of 2 measures, while the HBPM followed a 7-day protocol. It was considered normal a Home BP