[Comparison of invasive and non-invasive measuring of blood pressure in patients following open heart surgery].

Accuracy of blood pressure measurements with a new noninvasive ambulatory blood pressure monitor (Meditech KFT Budapest) was studied in 12 postoperative patients following open heart surgery. We compared 532 systolic and diastolic blood pressure recordings taken simultaneously both invasively and noninvasively. The values obtained noninvasively were subtracted from the corresponding values obtained invasively, and the differences were assessed according the British Hypertension Society recommendations. Values obtained with the two methods demonstrated good correlation (R: 0.85; p < 0.0001). 60 per cent of the differences in diastolic and 76 per cent of the differences in systolic blood pressure recordings fell into the range of +/- 5 mmHg. Thus the accuracy of diastolic blood pressure measurements was classified as "A" (characteristic fo the best equipment) and those of the systolic recordings was classified as "B" (characteristic of good equipment). Based on our findings the new blood pressure monitor provides accurate recordings and its use is highly recommended in the everyday practice.