Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring

Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) is at present the gold-standard for the diagnosis of hypertension and is fundamental to differentiating between essential hypertension, white-coat hypertension (high BP in the office, normal BP at home) and masked hypertension (normal BP in the office, high BP at home). Typically performed over a 24-hour period, ABPM takes a series of blood pressure readings automatically every 30 minutes during the day and every 60 minutes at night. The arm cuff and small monitor are applied in the clinic, worn for 24 hours, and returned to the office. Once the readings are uploaded, a report is then generated which explains your average blood pressure during the daytime, night and overall (mean). As this test is not covered by OHIP, there is an $80 one-time fee.