The MAPA exam means ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and consists of a method that allows the recording of blood pressure over a period of 24 hours, during the usual activities of daily life and even when the person is sleeping. ABPM is indicated by a cardiologist to diagnose systemic arterial hypertension or to assess whether a specific drug treatment for high blood pressure is being effective.
This examination is done by installing a pressure device around the arm that is connected to a small machine that records the measurements, however, it does not prevent the person from performing tasks such as eating, walking or working. Generally, the device measures the pressure every 30 minutes and at the end of the exam the doctor will be able to view a report with all the measurements made during 24 hours. MAPA is installed in clinics or hospitals and the price is around 150 reais.
Exam preparation
The MAPA exam should be done, preferably, on the days when the person will perform the usual daily activities so that it is possible to assess how blood pressure behaves during 24 hours. Before the device is installed on the person, it is necessary to wear a shirt or long-sleeved blouse so as not to limit the movement of the arm and women should avoid wearing a dress, as most of the time it is performed together with the 24-hour Holter exam. Find out more what the 24-hour Holter is for.
In addition, it is important to maintain the use of medications for daily use as instructed by the doctor, informing the type, dose and time the medicine is used. Very heavy physical exercises should be avoided within 24 hours before and during the exercise. It is not allowed to bathe during the exam, due to the risk of getting wet and damaging the device.
What is it for
The MAPA exam is recommended by a cardiologist to measure blood pressure over a 24-hour period while performing usual activities and is indicated in the following situations:
- Diagnose systemic arterial hypertension; Assess hypotension symptoms; Check for the presence of white coat hypertension in people who have high blood pressure only when they go to the office; Analyze high blood pressure during pregnancy; Assess the effectiveness of high blood pressure medications.
Monitoring blood pressure for 24 hours through MAPA provides information on blood pressure variations, during sleep, on waking and in stressful situations, as well as, it can detect and predict whether a person will develop diseases in the blood vessels of the heart and of the brain that are linked to hypertension. See more what are the symptoms of high blood pressure.
How is done
The MAPA pressure device is installed in a clinic or hospital by placing a cuff, also called a cuff, which is connected to an electronic monitor inside a bag that must be accommodated on a belt, so that it can be easily transported.
The person taking the exam should follow the day normally and can eat, walk and work, but be careful not to get wet and whenever possible, be quiet when the device beeps and with the arm supported and stretched, once that the pressure of that moment will be recorded. Generally, during the exam, the device checks the pressure every 30 minutes, so that at the end of the 24 hours, the doctor can check at least 24 pressure measurements.
During the examination, you may feel discomfort, as the cuff tightens during the pressure check, and after 24 hours, the person must return to the hospital or clinic to remove the device and so that the doctor can assess the data, indicating the most appropriate treatment according to the diagnosis found.
Care during the exam
The person can do their normal daily activities during the ABPM exam, however, some important precautions must be followed, such as:
- Prevent the cuff tube from being twisted or bent; Do not do heavy physical exercises; Do not bathe; Do not deflate the cuff manually.
During the period that the person is sleeping, he should not lie on the cuff and the monitor can be placed under the pillow. In addition, it is also important that, if the person takes any medicine, write down in the diary or notebook, the name of the medicine and the time at which he took it, to later show the doctor.
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