Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and management of hypertension at a cardiac clinic in Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana

• Published in: The journal of clinical hypertension (Greenwich, Conn.) Conn.), 2020-04, Vol.22 (4), p.605-613
• Main Authors: Nsutebu, Ntani Suh, Owusu, Isaac Kofi, Buabeng, Kwame Ohene, Bonsu, Kwadwo Osei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; ambulatory blood pressure monitoring; Antihypertensive Agents - pharmacology; Antihypertensive Agents - therapeutic use; antihypertensive therapy; Blood Pressure - drug effects; Blood Pressure Measurement; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; Ghana; Ghana - epidemiology; Humans; hypertension; Hypertension - diagnosis; Hypertension - drug therapy; Hypertension - epidemiology; Middle Aged; Original Paper; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1524-6175; 1751-7176
• DOI: 10.1111/jch.13822

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is considered a good intervention strategy to avoid misdiagnosis of hypertension and allow for targeted treatment of patients with hypertension. This study sought to assess the contribution of ABPM to blood pressure (BP) control and antihypertensive therapy at a cardiac clinic in Ghana. Medical records of 97 patients, aged 18‐85 years (mean 55), were reviewed. Among patients with clinic BP (CBP) and ambulatory BP recorded on the same day, we assessed for the different hypertension phenotypes, CBP control 6 months following ABPM, and changes to antihypertensive therapy after review of the ABPM records in patients with controlled and uncontrolled ambulatory BP. From the clinic and ambulatory BP records measured at baseline, the proportion of patients with white‐coat uncontrolled hypertension (WUCH) was 19.5% (17/87) and those with masked uncontrolled hypertension (MUCH) was 16.1% (n = 14). A significant reduction in average systolic CBP in the overall cohort (−6.2 mm Hg, P