General information, not an individual diagnosis. Ask a healthcare professional if you are unsure about your situation.
Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, known as MAPA in French, differs from manual home measurements. When prescribed, the device automatically records blood pressure over 24 hours, including overnight.
The doctor may request ambulatory monitoring to investigate blood pressure changes at different times of day and during usual activities. Ask for the instructions for the prescribed device and examination to be explained.
The device has a recorder connected to a cuff on the arm. The cuff inflates regularly and the readings are stored for the doctor to analyse. Ask how the particular device works.
In the requested diary, record the time and type of activities: work, meals, exercise, leisure and rest. Also record the actual times you go to bed and get up to identify the sleep period.
Record medicine-taking times, if relevant, and when any symptoms appear. These reference points help the doctor relate the recorded readings to what was happening during the day.
Ask the team how to return the diary and have the result explained. The doctor analyses the recording in its context. A single reading is not enough on its own to establish a diagnosis of permanent hypertension.
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