A diary model for monitoring blood pressure in the elderly.

Activity can significantly change blood pressure. Twenty four hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (Holter method) was introduced to optimize diagnosis and the changes in blood pressure. It was flanked by the purpose to use diaries to correlate symptoms and pressure changes, pressure changes and psychophysical activity, life style and drugs. The diary model adopted by us for 380 elderly subjects between 65 and 85 years old is divided into four main sections: 1. general activities (8 items); 2. situational variations (7 items); 3. correlation between symptoms and pressure changes; 4. drug treatment and pressure changes. The aim of our study was to assess the compliance of the elderly to keeping a diary. Our results showed that compliance was satisfactory in 352/380 subjects (93%).