BpTRU(tm) blood pressure monitor for use in a physician's office.

The BpTRU(tm) is an automated device that takes serial blood pressure (BP) measurements in a physician's office. (1) Preliminary data from non-randomized, uncontrolled trials suggest that the average of five BpTRU measurements, taken while the patient is alone, more reliably reflects "resting" BP compared to manual measurements taken with a stethoscope and sphygmomanometer. (2) BpTRU helps reduce the overestimation of BP due to improper measurement technique, or due to a patient's anxiety in a physician's presence ("white coat" effect). (3) The BpTRU device can improve hypertension management by replacing conventional manual BP measurements, which are often poorly performed and inaccurate. (4) BpTRU is more expensive than the manual manometers used in a physician's office. The serial measurement, taken in a private examining room, requires an average of six to 12 minutes, which could increase the duration of a patient's visit.