The update on the Canadian Hypertension Education Program recommendations1 noted the errors we so commonly commit when we base treatment decisions on office blood pressure (BP) readings.
For many years I marvelled at the fact that patients I referred for ambulatory BP monitoring—only my most difficult patients to control—often turned out to have normal BP.
In recent years, I have encouraged patients to buy their own BP cuffs and to keep diaries of readings at various times of the day. It is irresponsible to over-treat someone who presents to me with a near-perfect record.
Thus I encourage provincial health plans to provide home BP cuffs free for appropriate patients. The modest cost would be redeemed within a few weeks if expensive drugs are not prescribed, and we would have fewer edematous, coughing, and exhausted patients in our practices.
Reference
- 1.Canadian Hypertension Education Program. 2009 Canadian Hypertension Education Program recommendations. An annual update. Can Fam Physician. 2009;55:697–700. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]