Skip to main content
. 2018 May 18;31(8):919–927. doi: 10.1093/ajh/hpy062

Table 4.

Preferences for ABPM and HBPM

Preference rationale ABPM HBPM Representative quote
Provider set-upPatients believed the in-person provider set-up offered by ABPM would benefit patients. X “I’d try the 24 hours also, because you have someone who really knows you understand, how to really put it on you correctly.”—Focus Group 4 (English)
Cost
Patients expressed willingness to participate in ABPM due to Medicare coverage.
X “I would have the [24-hour] machine…Medicare pays for that.”—Focus Group 4 (English)
Validity
Patients believed that ABPM would provide a more accurate reading of a patient’s blood pressure.
X “I think the 24-hour monitoring system is more precise.”—Focus Group 3 (Spanish)
Automated readings
Patients reported that the automated readings of ABPM would be “easy,” while patients would have to modify their behavior to successfully complete HBPM.
X “I would choose the 24-hour monitoring because it’s faster, shorter. I don’t have to worry about doing it myself.”—Focus Group 2 (Spanish)
Discomfort
Patients expressed concern over the number and timing of blood pressure readings taken during ABPM test.
X “I think for me I would choose the home...The 24-hour one I think would be a little aggravating on my medium nerves after a while.”—Focus Group 1 (English)
Convenience
Patients believed that ABPM and HBPM offer patients with a different set of conveniences.
X X “I would choose the 24-hour monitoring…Because I would put it on and take it off after 24 hours.”—Focus Group 2 (Spanish)
“I would prefer the home one…because…you just take it…And then it’s gone. You get away and then you come and take it. For me home is better.”—Focus Group 1 (English)
Additional testing benefits
Patients felt that ABPM and HBPM testing would result in additional patient benefits.
X X “If I knew there were a few things that annoyed me or how going up and down the stairs affects me…[it] would make me more a little bit more involved...”—Focus Group 4 (English)
“And 24-hours you can pay for it and then you cannot keep it, but this one [HBPM] you paying for it [the device] and you keep it.”—Focus Group 2 (Spanish)

Abbreviations: ABPM, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring; HBPM, home blood pressure monitoring; X, test preference.