Self-measurement of blood pressure at home in diabetes patients – alleged or proven benefits?

Hypertension is the most prevalent co-morbidity of diabetes, and its treatment is as important for prevention of vascular complications as is blood glucose and blood lipids control. Recently, patients with diabetes have been using home blood pressure monitoring more often, and their doctors tend to base their diagnostic and therapeutic decisions on home blood pressure monitoring results. Several studies published lately suggested that adjustment of antihypertensive treatment based on home instead of office blood pressure measurements led to less intensive drug treatment, whilst insufficient antihypertensive therapy is a considerable problem in diabetes patients. However, self-measurement of blood pressure at home allows the efficacy and safety of a current antihypertensive drug regime to be assessed, engages a patient in the therapeutic process and – in patients yet untreated for high blood pressure – enables individuals with “white coat” hypertension to be identified. Proper assessment of blood pressure values should include both home and office measurements as they are complementary.