ABPM-50

Ambulatory blood pressure monitor ABPM-50 is a wearable, overnight and comfortable blood pressure monitor for adult, pediatric¹, and neonatal¹. ABPM-50 is designed for spot check and ambulatory applications. The ambulatory blood pressure monitor provides continuous 24-hour periodic blood pressure readings giving an accurate assessment of the patient's condition.

The ambulatory BPM can store over 600 measurements, including 300 records of common user and 358 of ambulatory blood pressure data. Every record includes the time, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean blood pressure, pulse rate, error message and record number. The records can be saved in a computer for further analysis and reporting. Carrying case and software are included.

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring has become a widely accepted method of blood pressure and heart rate evaluation. In UK, with some exceptions, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is required before a doctor can make a diagnosis of hypertension.

The 24-hour average blood pressures obtained in this way correlate well with a variety of hypertensive disease processes and are also a better prognostic marker for future cardiovascular events than office blood pressure. Ambulatory blood pressure averages also correlate well with indices of diastolic dysfunction. In patients with congestive cardiac failure and systolic dysfunction, ambulatory monitoring suggests an impaired circadian blood pressure profile with high nocturnal (nighttime) blood pressure.

The objective of blood pressure monitoring is to know one's blood pressure at all time. Sleeping accounts for about 8 hours a day and is not normally monitored. In fact, AHA has recommended that nighttime blood pressure should be 10-20% below daytime normal. Do you know what is your nighttime blood pressure?

ABPM-50 can also be used to monitor one's blood pressure during exercise. Blood pressure can go up to 200/80 during running and 300/200 during very heavy weight lifting for a normal person. According to a study published in American Journal of Hypertension (April 2004), people with very high blood pressure during exercise are most likely to develop high blood pressure. They are likely to have arteries that do not expand as much as normal arteries when blood is pumped to them. Consider going into a program (diet and exercise) for heart attack prevention if you have high readings during exercise.

See the article applications of ambulatory blood pressure monitor for more information.

Ambulatory monitoring has become covered by Medicare for the evaluation of "white-coat" hypertension. White coat hypertension or white coat syndrome is a phenomenon in which patients exhibit elevated blood pressure in a clinical setting but not in other settings. Between 20% and 30% of patients diagnosed with hypertension in the office are actually Normotensive at other times. White coat hypertension is difficult to detect and would cause unnecessary treatment. Ambulatory monitoring is a good way to screen for white coat syndrome.

The ambulatory blood pressure monitor has an alarm with configurable thresholds for pulse rate, systolic and diastolic pressure.

During automatic measurement mode, the ambulatory blood pressure monitor can take measurements every X minutes according to the system configuration. There are two saved interval settings - asleep and awake and they can be changed in system setup.

See APBM-50 Reference for more information on the product.

Sample LCD displays

Sample computer displays

Specifications

• cuff width¹: 14cm for arms with 25 ~ 35 cm perimeter
• Dimension: 128mmx69mmx36mm
• Weight: < 350g (Including Batteries)
• Measurement method: Oscillometry
• Operation model: Manual/Automatic
• Measurement programs: Awake and asleep
• Measurement interval (minutes): 15, 30, 60, 120, 240 (asleep only)
• Measurement unit: mmHg/KPa selectable
• Measurement types: Systolic, Diastolic, Mean
• Measurement range:
    Adult pressure: 10-270 mmHg; Pulse rate: 30-220 bpm
    Pediatric pressure:10-200 mmHg; Pulse rate: 30-220 bpm
    Neonate pressure: 10-135 mmHg; Pulse rate: 30-220 bpm
• Power: 2 AA alkaline batteries
• Meets ANSI/AAMI SP10-1992 standard for performance and accuracy