Untreated Masked Hypertension and Subclinical Cardiac Damage: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

AIM Data on the association of masked hypertension (MH) (i.e., normal office and elevated out-of-office blood pressure (BP)) with cardiac damage are scanty. We performed a meta-analysis in order to provide a comprehensive information on subclinical cardiac alterations in subjects with MH. DESIGN Studies were identified by the following search terms: "masked hypertension," "white coat normotension," "isolated ambulatory hypertension," "left ventricular mass," "left ventricular hypertrophy," "cardiac damage," and "echocardiography." Full articles published in English language providing data on left ventricular (LV) mass and/or prevalence of LV hypertrophy in MH, as assessed by ambulatory BP monitoring, were considered. RESULTS Overall, 4,884 untreated subjects (2,467 normotensive, 776 MH, and 1,641 sustained hypertensive individuals) of both genders included in 12 studies were analyzed. LV mass index showed a progressive increase from normotensive (79.2±0.35g/m2) to MH (91.6±4.0g/m2) (standard difference in means (SDM): 0.50±0.11, confidence interval (CI): 0.28–0.73, P < 0.01) and to hypertensive subjects (102.9±3.3g/m2) (SDM: 0.22±0.07, CI: 0.09–0.35, P < 0.01). After assessing data for publication bias, the difference between groups was still significant. CONCLUSIONS Our findings support an association between MH and increased risk of LV structural alterations compared to true normotensive individuals. Due to the worse cardiovascular prognosis associated with subclinical cardiac damage, subjects with MH should be carefully screened in order to detect hypertensive organ damage and provide appropriate therapeutic interventions

Cuffless blood pressure measuring devices: review and statement by the European Society of Hypertension Working Group on Blood Pressure Monitoring and Cardiovascular Variability

Background: Many cuffless blood pressure (BP) measuring devices are currently on the market claiming that they provide accurate BP measurements. These technologies have considerable potential to improve the awareness, treatment, and management of hypertension. However, recent guidelines by the European Society of Hypertension do not recommend cuffless devices for the diagnosis and management of hypertension. Objective: This statement by the European Society of Hypertension Working Group on BP Monitoring and Cardiovascular Variability presents the types of cuffless BP technologies, issues in their validation, and recommendations for clinical practice. Statements: Cuffless BP monitors constitute a wide and heterogeneous group of novel technologies and devices with different intended uses. Cuffless BP devices have specific accuracy issues, which render the established validation protocols for cuff BP devices inadequate for their validation. In 2014, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers published a standard for the validation of cuffless BP devices, and the International Organization for Standardization is currently developing another standard. The validation of cuffless devices should address issues related to the need of individual cuff calibration, the stability of measurements post calibration, the ability to track BP changes, and the implementation of machine learning technology. Clinical field investigations may also be considered and issues regarding the clinical implementation of cuffless BP readings should be investigated. Conclusion: Cuffless BP devices have considerable potential for changing the diagnosis and management of hypertension. However, fundamental questions regarding their accuracy, performance, and implementation need to be carefully addressed before they can be recommended for clinical use.</p

Cuffless blood pressure measuring devices: review and statement by the European Society of Hypertension Working Group on Blood Pressure Monitoring and Cardiovascular Variability

Background: Many cuffless blood pressure (BP) measuring devices are currently on the market claiming that they provide accurate BP measurements. These technologies have considerable potential to improve the awareness, treatment, and management of hypertension. However, recent guidelines by the European Society of Hypertension do not recommend cuffless devices for the diagnosis and management of hypertension. Objective: This statement by the European Society of Hypertension Working Group on BP Monitoring and Cardiovascular Variability presents the types of cuffless BP technologies, issues in their validation, and recommendations for clinical practice. Statements: Cuffless BP monitors constitute a wide and heterogeneous group of novel technologies and devices with different intended uses. Cuffless BP devices have specific accuracy issues, which render the established validation protocols for cuff BP devices inadequate for their validation. In 2014, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers published a standard for the validation of cuffless BP devices, and the International Organization for Standardization is currently developing another standard. The validation of cuffless devices should address issues related to the need of individual cuff calibration, the stability of measurements post calibration, the ability to track BP changes, and the implementation of machine learning technology. Clinical field investigations may also be considered and issues regarding the clinical implementation of cuffless BP readings should be investigated. Conclusion: Cuffless BP devices have considerable potential for changing the diagnosis and management of hypertension. However, fundamental questions regarding their accuracy, performance, and implementation need to be carefully addressed before they can be recommended for clinical use

Home blood pressure monitoring: methodology, clinical relevance and practical application: a 2021 position paper by the Working Group on Blood Pressure Monitoring and Cardiovascular Variability of the European Society of Hypertension

The present paper provides an update of previous recommendations on Home Blood Pressure Monitoring from the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) Working Group on Blood Pressure Monitoring and Cardiovascular Variability sequentially published in years 2000, 2008 and 2010. This update has taken into account new evidence in this field, including a recent statement by the American Heart association, as well as technological developments, which have occurred over the past 20 years. The present document has been developed by the same ESH Working Group with inputs from an international team of experts, and has been endorsed by the ESH