[CLINIC BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING AS A PREDICTOR OF MASKED HYPERTENSION].

Masked hypertension is strongly linked to morbidity and mortality. The phenomenon poses a challenge to physicians due to the difficult diagnosis. Recent studies have shown that the incidence may occur in 8.8% -16.6% of the population and up to 30.4% among people with borderline blood pressure. To examine the prevalence of masked hypertension in the Israeli population and the clinic blood pressure status as a predictor of masked hypertension. Interviewees were randomly recruited from among passers-by at Assuta Hospital in Ashdod. Those who were found to have normal and normal-high blood pressure ranges were included in the study. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed, and anthropometric measures were assessed. A statistical analysis compared groups according to their blood pressure clinical and ambulatory blood pressure categories. A total of 35 participants were included in this research. Masked hypertension was found among 35.3% of patients with normal range blood pressure and 27.7% of those in the borderline range. Significant differences were found between the normotensive group and the masked hypertension group in BMI, waist circumference, and clinical category of clinic diastolic blood pressure. A third of those with in-clinic normal blood pressure suffer from masked hypertension. Borderline in-clinic diastolic blood pressure is significantly associated with masked hypertension. This study presents higher masked hypertension rates than previously reported, the difference may be explained by differences in the nature and the lifestyle of the study population. The high incidence of the phenomenon indicates the need for further investigation of patients with in-clinic normal and borderline blood pressure.