[Clinical significance of home blood pressure measurements for diagnosis of hypertension in the elderly].

Systolic blood pressure elevates with increase in age. The frequency of white-coat hypertension and masked hypertension also increase with increase in age. Elderly persons tend to have abnormal circadian rhythm of blood pressure. Home blood pressure measurements are very useful to determine such pathophysiological conditions. Home blood pressure is useful not only for diagnosis of hypertension but also for treatment and management of hypertension; i.e. choice and titration of antihypertensive drugs. A minimal antihypertensive effect and duration of action of antihypertensive drugs are determined by home blood pressure measurements: the latter is established by the comparison of the antihypertensive effect of the drug in the morning with that in the evening, i.e. morning-evening ratio (ME ratio).