Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring in a Cohort of Adolescent Egyptian Females

Abstract

ypertension is an iceberg disease with high morbidity and mortality and is a silent threat to the health of the people both in developed and developing countries. The prevalence and rate of diagnosis of hypertension in children and adolescents appear to be increasing. This is due in part to the increasing prevalence of childhood obesity as well as growing awareness of this disease. Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring(ABPM) is being used increasingly in clinical practice. ABPM refers to a non -invasive procedure in which a portable blood pressure device worn by a patient, periodically records BP over a specified period of time, usually 24 hours. ABPM is an important tool in evaluating pediatric hypertension. ABPM is especially helpful in the evaluation of: White-coat hypertension, masked hypertension, secondary hypertension and nocturnal hypertension. It has been suggested that chronic exposure to psychological stress can cause increased blood pressure and lead to hypertension development stress can cause hypertension through repeated blood pressure elevations as well as by stimulation of the nervous system to produce large amounts of vase constricting hormones that increase blood pressure.