[Ambulatory blood pressure: methods, equipment, technical problems, validations].

Abstract

The measurement of ambulatory blood pressure provides a discontinuous recording which reflects the pressure load over a 24 hour period. The latest recorders allow the patient a relative autonomy due to discontinuous but programmable recording and the miniaturisation of the recorder and relative silence during inflation of the cuff. The main disadvantage of the technique is the necessity of interruption of the patient's physical activity at the moment of recording indicated by an audible "beep". The concept of "active pressure load" is therefore illusory. The traditional controversy between supporters of the auscultatory versus those for the oscillometric method is far from being settled and these discussions do not resolve the problem. The use of finger plethysmographic techniques (Finapress-Ohmeda) is an interesting approach but limited for the time being by the necessity of confinement to a laboratory and recordings of short durations requiring strict conditions of ambient temperature. Future developments using ultrasonic techniques may provide a solution to these problems.