engleski

The responsibility of trained nurse during 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.

We studied the database of all 260 consecutive ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) examinations during a 6-months period to evaluate the responsibility of trained nurse during 24-hour ABPM examination. Three auscultatory devices were pre-programmed to record the blood pressure (BP) every 30 minutes during daytime hours and every 45 minutes during nighttime hours. According to standard protocol experienced operator of Holter instrumentation determines arm circumference and selects and wraps appropriate cuff size, measures the BP on both arms with standard mercury sphygmomanometer, checks the accuracy of each device, cleans the skin before the placement of chest leads in the proper position, and fixes the microphone. Each patient was sufficiently instructed about the aim of ABPM, the importance of compliance, and registration of activity log during the whole examination period. All patients (74% out-patients ; 65% women) wear the monitor usually during a working day. The results were suboptimal in 14% of patients (a minimum of 70% used BP readings was not obtained). The reasons for errant BP readings were background noise (48%), technical problems (27%) and arm movement (6%). The role of trained and experienced nurse in ABPM is important in order to improve the quality of this noninvasive examination with use of standard protocol.

ambulatory blood pressure monitoring; techiques

From 2006 new name of Folia Cardiologica is Cardiology Journal.