Proudly Part of Kinsale Primary Care Team
phone: +353 21 4772717
Always call 999 first in the case of an accident or medical emergency when a person is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk. In a situation where you think someone may be having a heart attack or stroke, call 999 immediately.
If you feel that a GP is required for emergency care please call the surgery on +353 21 4772717 or outside surgery hours contact the SouthDoc out-of-hours GP service on 1850 335 999
The doctor, or your consultant in some cases, may suggest that it is necessary to monitor your blood pressure over a 24 hour period and this facility is available at the surgery.
Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (APBM) measures blood pressure (BP) at regular intervals (approx. every 30 minutes) over a 24-hour period.
The ABPM monitor is a small, discreet unit which is secured with a belt and connects to a cuff worn on the upper arm. The cuff then inflates and deflates at 30 minute intervals measuring the systolic (upper) and diastolic (lower) blood pressure, average blood pressure and heart rate. Some patients find occasional discomfort when the cuff is inflating or sleep can sometimes be disturbed, however it should be possible to continue with normal daily activities.
The advantage of monitoring blood pressure over a 24-hour period is that BP measurements can vary greatly over 24 hours and single BP measurements do not take this into account. An ABPM also provides more accurate information than self-recording using a manual monitor and allows for measurements during night time.
The doctor, or consultant, may recommend ABPM for a number of reasons and he/she will discuss this at your appointment. It is recommended for all people who are suspected of having hypertension (high blood pressure) and especially patients who have had a high blood pressure recorded at any time (The National Institute for Clinical Excellence UK – NICE).
When booking an appointment for the ABPM service, generally a morning appointment is scheduled with the nurse who will set up the monitor, which only takes a few minutes. It is a good idea to wear a loose top and the first measurement will be taken before leaving the surgery. Although it is necessary to keep the arm steady when the cuff is inflating, generally it should be possible to continue daily activities. The nurse will also be happy to answer any further questions. It will then be necessary to return the ABPM monitor to the surgery 24 hours later and an appointment will be scheduled for follow-up regarding your ABPM results with the doctor.
