Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring: A proposal for new Canadian guidelines.

OBJECTIVE

To provide background information on the scientific basis for new Canadian guidelines on ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and the process for developing recommendations for clinical practice. DATA SOURCES: A comprehensive review of the literature on ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was conducted using a computerized literature search and a bibliography of key scientific articles. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: Studies of the highest scientific quality were used to support recommendations based on established rules for grading evidence. DATA SYNTHESIS: A series of recommendations for the use of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in routine clinical practice directed towards both untreated patients with a diagnosis of possible hypertension and treated patients with a suspected 'white coat' component to their office readings have been proposed for consideration by the Canadian Hypertension Society.

CONCLUSIONS

There are now sufficient data available to support the use of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in accordance with specific clinical practice guidelines.