[The value of blood pressure self-measurement by patients with hypertension].

Blood pressure (BP) self-measurement (SM) is a promising method of investigation of patients with hypertension capable to provide information unobtainable neither with traditional office measurements nor with 24-hour BP monitoring. Advantages of BPSM are as follows: accessibility, low effect of anxiety on results of BP measurement; possibility of long-term monitoring of BP. Conditions which should be satisfied in order to realize these advantages include availability of individually selected measurement device, correct fulfillment of measurements, sufficient frequency of measurements, exact reporting of results to a physician. Besides inherent possibility of incorrect measurements BPSM has some other limitations - tendency to underestimation of real BP level and relatively low sensitivity in diagnosis of hypertension. At present BPSM can be used both for diagnosis of hypertension and for assessment of efficacy of antihypertensive therapy. Comparative value of BPSM and 24-hour blood pressure monitoring for clinical pharmacology deserves special investigation. In some difficult cases ('white coat hypertension', 'pseudoresistance to therapy') BPSM should apparently precede 24-hour BP monitoring.