FAQ - Blood Pressure Monitoring

General Questions

What is blood pressure?

Blood Pressure (BP) refers to the force of blood pushing against your artery walls as it courses through your body.

What is high blood pressure?

High blood pressure, also referred to as Hypertension, is the most common cardiovascular disease. Having high BP is when the force of the blood pushing against your artery walls is too strong and it can damage your healthy arteries and lead to poor cardiovascular conditions.

What is ambulatory blood pressure monitoring?

During ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), blood pressure is being measured as you move around in your daily life.

Why would someone need ambulatory blood pressure monitoring?

As of December 2014 the United States Preventative Services Task Force recommended using Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) to confirm high office blood pressure before diagnosing hypertension.

How long does ambulatory monitoring last?

Monitoring will normally occur for a 24-hour period.

How is ambulatory blood pressure measured?

APBM devices are used to measure ambulatory blood pressure. ABPM devices are small digital blood pressure machines that are attached to a belt around your body which is connected to a cuff around your upper arm.

About Your Visit

Do I need to prepare the night before?

No, you can do everything that you normally do the night before starting your test.

Do I need any special attire?

We recommend that you wear a loose shirt or button down so that you can comfortably wear the blood pressure cuff on your upper arm.

About the 24-Hour Monitoring Period

How often does the monitor go off?

Your blood pressure will be measured every 30 minutes. During the day, the device will beep to warn you a measurement is about to be taken. During the night, the device will not beep while you are sleeping. If an accurate measurement cannot be obtained due to motion or some other reason, then the device will attempt a second measurement 1 minute later.

Do I have to wear the device while I sleep?

Yes. We realize it can be uncomfortable to wear the device during sleep. However, measurements obtained during sleep can provide useful information about your blood pressure health. We recommend that you try to wear the device during sleep.

What happens if I can’t sleep with it on?

If you are unable to continue monitoring during sleep, you may turn off the device and remove it until the morning. When you put the device back on in the morning, remember to turn the device back on.

Do I shower with it?

No, you should remove and turn off the device when showering.

Can I exercise with the device?

Yes. You can perform light exercise with the device on. We recommend that you remove the device during strenuous exercise such as sports or running. The device also should not be placed in contact with water.

What happens if it shows an error message?

The device will try to take your blood pressure again a couple minutes later. If another error occurs the device will not take another measurement for 30 minutes/will return to the normal measurement schedule.

Billing and Insurance

Is this service covered by my insurance?

ActiveBP is billable to a patient’s insurance company and it is covered by many insurance plans. Please call our office at 212-342-1273 for more information.