Patient Initiated Home Blood Pressure Recordings Are Accurate in Hypertensive Pregnant Women

Abstract

Objective. We undertook this study to determine the accuracy and reliability of patient initiated blood pressure measurement and recording. Methods. We recruited 72 women from the antenatal hypertension clinic in a university teaching hospital. All were at high risk for preeclampsia and were asked to measure and record their blood pressure three times per day at home using a validated blood pressure device with an internal memory. Results. From 979 measurements taken only 28 (2.9% were inaccurate). The inaccurate readings were restricted to three women. On further questioning two women admitted that the device had been used by other family members thus making comparison with the memory impossible. Thus the true nonconcordance rate amongst participants was 1/72 (1.4%). Conclusions. We conclude that blood pressure recordings taken and documented by high‐risk women at home are accurate. This allows more frequent measurements to be taken without the inconvenience of additional visits to hospital and may therefore lead to the earlier detection of preeclampsia.

• Preeclampsia
• Blood pressure
• Hypertension