How Arterial Stiffness is Related to Ambulatory BP Monitoring?
High blood pressure can be controlled successfully regardless of aortic stiffness among hypertensive dialysis patients according to a recent study: Aortic stiffness, ambulatory blood pressure and predictors of response to anthypertensive therapy in hemodialysis - Panagiotis I. Georgianos MD, Rajiv Agarwal MD, March 26, 2015.
What is arterial stiffness? 
Increased arterial stiffness is associated with an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction or stroke.
How arterial stiffness is related to blood pressure?
The stiffer the blood vessel walls are, the higher the blood pressure is, the more the heart has to work to deliver blood to the body.
How arterial stiffness is measured?
- augmentation index (through the shape of the pulse wave)
- central blood pressure (through the pressure in the aorta)
- pulse wave velocity (estimated by measuring the rate at which pressure waves move down the vessel)
Study background
The study investigated if aortic stiffness determines ambulatory blood pressure among hypertensive dialysis patients.
Participants
179 hypertensive, predominantly black, hemodialysis patients with left ventricular hypertrophy, which is the thickening of the heart's main pumping chamber, which deveops in response to some factors, such as high blood pressure.
Conclusions
Hypertension can be controlled successfully regardless of aortic stiffness, as aortic pulse wave velocity could not be established as a predictor of treatment-induced change in ambulatory blood pressure.
Meditech is one of the worldwide technology leaders in the area of manufacturing ambulatory blood pressure monitors and ECG devices. Established in 1990 by Hungarian private entrepreneurs, Meditech develops medical devices and software solutions for monitoring risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.
When ABPM May be Difficult to Perform
Obesity, AF, Children, Adolescents – Some Conditions in which ABPM May be Difficult to Perform
ABPM in Obese Patients
Although obesity is a major risk factor for high blood pressure, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring can be difficult to perform. The reasons are prosaic: it may be difficult to find the right-size cuff which can be applied to the obese patient's arm. The solution is to use conically shaped cuffs. In case of excessive obesity, there is another solution that may work: the cuff can also be placed on the forearm so that ambulatory blood pressure monitoring can be obtained. In this case the patient should hold his wrist at heart level during measurement.
ABPM in AF Patients
Atrial fibrillation is an irregular and rapid heart rate – a type of arrhythmia - that causes poor blood flow. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in patients with AF is less precise.
ABPM in Children and Adolescents
Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is an indispensible tool in the evaluation of nocturnal hypertension, which is often reported in children and adolescents with type-1 diabetes. Issues to consider here:
1. Different reference values in children and adolescents
Based on height and gender there are different reference values for morbidity in case of children and adolescents.
2. Cuff Size
The appropriate cuff size should be used according to arm lenght and width.
Source: Parati 2014 European Society of Hypertension practice guidelines
for ambulatory blood pressure monitoring
Meditech is one of the worldwide technology leaders in the area of manufacturing ambulatory blood pressure monitors and ECG devices. Established in 1990 by Hungarian private entrepreneurs, Meditech develops medical devices and software solutions for monitoring risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.
ACC 2015 | San Diego | Booth 2543
Meet Meditech Team at ACC 2015, 14-16 March in San Diego, CA, USA!
Cognitive Dangers of Hypertension
Cardiovascular Healths & Cognitive Functioning
A growing number of evidence suggests that cardiovascular health affects cognitive functioning and hypertension is linked directly to brain 
functions. Although it is attributed mainly to aging, several researches show that hypertension is the real root of much cognitive decline.
How Hypertension Damages Brain & Body
Hypertension damages brain in form of lesions in the message-carrying axons being responsible for memory, small strokes and tissue death.
Additionally, hypertension may reduce attention, learning, memory and decision-making and in serious cases it results in weakening of blood vessels leading to tear and causing sudden death or disability.
During that time the body suffers mostly in silence except for some rarely occuring symptoms such as headaches, nosebleeds or shortness of breath.
What Can Be Done?
Control your weight, keep your cholesterol low, give up smoking, limit salt consumption and check your blood pressure more frequently.
At Meditech, we are committed to delivering solutions that support the cost effective screening of cardiovascular diseases in primary care.
Arab Health 2015
January 26th – 29th, Hall 4, Stand 30
Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre, UAE
EU quality ambulatory blood pressure monitors and Holter ECG devices are available at Arab Health with great exhibition discounts!
At Meditech, we are committed to delivering solutions that support the cost effective screening of cardiovascular diseases in primary care.
Our Latest Innovation
Meditech apneABP portable monitor for pre screening hypertension and sleep apnea is already available!
Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is the most common cause of secondary hypertension, however, an estimated 70-90% of cases go undetected.
Although patients with suspected sleep apnea are sent to fully equipped sleep labs, Meditech apneABP multiparameter monitor (ABPM + Pulse Oximeter+ Actigraph) can be used as an inexpensive and easily available screening tool which refers those patients to more complex, expensive and inconvenient sleep lab tests only, who really need them.