Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure in men and women aged 17 to 80 years: the Allied Irish Bank Study (original) (raw)

In order to determine reference values for ambulatory blood pressure, a sample of 815 healthy bank employees (399 men and 416 women), aged 17-79 years, were investigated. Ambulatory blood pressure was recorded over 24 h, taking measurements at U)-min intervals. Blood pressure was also measured by trained observers in the clinic Ambulatory blood pressure in the 815 subjects averaged 118172 mmHg over 24h, 124178 mmHg during the day (1000-2259 h) and 106161 mmHg at night (0100-0659 h). Office blood pressure, measured by an observer, was 412 mmHg lower (P < 0.0001) than daytime arnbulatory pressure. The 95th centiles for the daytime ambulatory pressure in men were: 114188 mmHg for the age group 17-29 years (n = 107); 143/91 mmHg from 30-39 years (n = 123); 150198 mmHg from 40-49 years (n = 109); and 1551103 mmHg in 50-79 year old men (n = 60); for the corresponding age groups in women, the 95th centiles of the daytime pressure were: 131183 mmHg (n = 174); 132J85 mmHg (n 149); 150194 mmHg (n = 55); and 177197 mmHg (n = 38).