Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitor

What is an ambulatory blood pressure monitor?

An ambulatory blood pressure monitor is a portable device that measures and records your child’s blood pressure. It does this at scheduled times over a 24-hour period. It is called “ambulatory” because a person can ambulate, or walk around, while wearing the monitor.

This device takes blood pressure readings the same way that a nurse or doctor takes your child’s blood pressure. Your child wears the monitor for 24 hours. The information the monitor records helps:

• Measure your blood pressure at many different points: This is more exact than a one-time measurement at the hospital.
• Detect high blood pressure: Your care team can see if you have high blood pressure throughout the day.
• Show if your child has “white coat syndrome:” White coat syndrome is when blood pressure is raised at the doctor’s office because of nervousness or stress. This type of raised blood pressure does not need to be treated by medicine.
• Guide your treatment: Your care team can see if your blood pressure medicines are working properly. They can decide if you need a different dose or to try a new medicine.

How the ambulatory blood pressure monitor works

The monitor inflates to read your child’s blood pressure every 20 to 30 minutes throughout the day for 24 hours. Talk to your care team about your monitor’s schedule.

A possible schedule could be:

• Every 20 minutes from 7 a.m.–10 p.m.
• Every 30 minutes from 10 p.m.–7 a.m.

Your child must wear the monitor on their arm for the entire 24-hour period. Do not remove the monitor or allow your child to remove it. If the monitor is moved, your child may need to redo the monitoring for a different 24-hour period. If your child must remove the monitor to shower, bathe, or change clothes, please have them do so as quickly as possible and write the times in the diary log.

Where to get the ambulatory blood pressure monitor

You will get the ambulatory blood pressure monitor from a nurse on your care team. The nurse will:

• Put the monitor on your child
• Place the blood pressure cuff on your child’s arm
• Check your child’s blood pressure

This will show you and your child what to expect each time the monitor inflates to take a blood pressure reading. The nurse will also secure the monitor to your child’s waist or place it in the carry bag.

How to fill out the diary sheet for an ambulatory blood pressure monitor

Your care team will give you a diary sheet to record the following times:

• When your child eats meals
• When your child goes to sleep
• When your child wakes
• When your child takes scheduled medicines
• When your child is more active

This diary sheet and the monitor will give your care team important details about your child’s medical condition. If your care team knows when your child is awake or asleep, they can compare the heart rate and blood pressure at that time. They use this diary to find:

• The average daytime blood pressure
• The average nighttime blood pressure
• How much the blood pressure changes between when your child is awake and asleep

Be sure to bring both the diary sheet and monitor to your child’s follow-up appointment. This will help your child’s care team get the information they need.

How to keep your child comfortable with the monitor on

It is normal for your child to find the monitor and cuff uncomfortable. It may be distracting to have the cuff tighten and record blood pressure several times every hour. Talk to your care team about things you can do to keep your child comfortable with the blood pressure cuff on. Find ways to distract your child or do activities to reduce their focus on the blood pressure monitor.

The blood pressure monitor may disrupt your child’s sleep. If the monitor wakes your child up, soothe them and help them go back to sleep. Talk to your care team about tips they may have.

When to call your care team

Call your child’s care team if:

• The monitor does not inflate every 20 to 30 minutes
• You have problems replacing the monitor and cuff after removing it
• Your child becomes agitated from wearing the monitor. Your child’s care team may suggest ways to distract your child.

Find more information

If you have questions about the blood pressure monitor, please talk to a member of your care team in the Nephrology Clinic.