Patients could be asked to buy their own blood pressure monitors because only a minority of GP surgeries have home measurement devices, an expert has warned.

Professor Beevers

Gareth Beevers, a professor of medicine at City Hospital Birmingham, voiced concern after official draft guidance was published recommending patients suspected of having hypertension be sent home with special kits designed to monitor their blood pressure over 24 hours.  Studies have shown that readings taken over a whole day with 'ambulatory blood pressure monitoring' (ABPM) devices are more accurate than a series of spot checks in doctor's surgeries.

Up to a quarter of people experience a soaring pulse rate on entering a surgery, which is leading to many people being wrongly diagnosed with high blood pressure, according to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice). The syndrome is known as "white coat hypertension".

But ABPM machines, which measure blood pressure at intervals and download the results to a computer for analysis, are expensive.  Prof Beevers, a trustee of the Blood Pressure Association, said: "Practices may need to spent £20,000 to £30,000 to buy these monitors and computer software."  He went on: "If you can't get 24-hour ABPM, a reasonable and nearly as good alternative is for patients to measure their own, using home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM)."  HBPM devices rely on patients to take and record their own measurements throughout the day, meaning they are affordable.  "Most patients can cope with taking their own measurements, and they can buy a simple machine for £10 to £15," said Prof Beevers.

Source: Daily Telegraph