ABPM uses a special device where a blood pressure cuff is worn on the arm and attached to a small recording device that a child can wear 24 hours a day. While the child wears the device, blood pressure is recorded at 15-minute intervals during the daytime and 30-minute intervals at night. Children are encouraged to continue their normal activities when the device is on, and parents are recommended to keep a log of their activities.
Ambulatory means walking or movable, a reference to the child going on with regular daily routines while the device records blood pressure readings. According to American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines, 24-hour blood pressure (BP) monitoring is considered the best way to diagnose and treat high blood pressure in children. Norton Children's Nephrology, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine, offers ambulatory blood pressure monitoring via its pediatric hypertension program.