Assessment of body position to quantify its effect on nocturnal blood pressure under ambulatory conditions

Abstract

Under ambulatory conditions, a highly variable but sometimes substantial number of blood pressure readings are taken with the cuffed arm above heart level. These readings result in underestimation of nocturnal blood pressure and hence influence dipper-non-dipper classification. However, body position does not seem to have an important influence on the reproducibility of nocturnal blood pressure or dipping status.