Blood Pressure
keeping it in check
www.snp.com.au
SULLIVAN NICOLAIDES PTY LTD • ABN 38 078 202 196
24-hour Blood Pressure Monitoring
achieving a true reading
High blood pressure (hypertension) is one of the biggest
risk factors in heart disease, stroke and many other health
problems. It’s often called the ‘silent killer’ because it has
no real symptoms. If you have hypertension it needs to be
diagnosed, monitored and treated.
Blood pressure testing is most effective when carried out
continuously over a 24-hour period (Ambulatory Blood
Pressure Monitoring – ABPM).
Why? Because a single reading may not be enough to give
an accurate picture. Blood pressure goes up and down
and follows a natural pattern throughout the day. It falls in
the evening, is at its lowest during sleep and starts to rise
in the early hours just before you wake. It’s also higher
when you’re active, excited or nervous, and for many
people the stress of a visit to the doctor may push it up, a
phenomenon known as the ‘white coat effect’.
People whose blood pressure surges excessively in the
morning or doesn’t fall in the evening are at a higher risk of
stroke, heart failure and other cardiac problems.
Why high is bad
Your heart has to work harder and the arteries and blood vessels are put under a strain.
The force of the blood flow creates microscopic tears in the artery walls that your body mends with scar tissue. This is lumpy and provides a lodging place for particles of LDL cholesterol and other fatty substances that build up, creating plaque which narrows the arteries and restricts blood flow.
Blood clots (bits of plaque that dislodge from the artery) can result in a heart attack or stroke, while narrowing of the arteries restricts oxygen flow to other organs leading to brain, eyes and kidney damage.
As you age, your arteries naturally harden and become less elastic over time. This happens to everyone. High blood pressure speeds up the process.
The heart muscle becomes thicker and stiffer because it has to work harder which puts you at risk of an enlarged heart.
Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology Ambulatory
Blood Pressure Monitoring service
It is important that you talk to your doctor
about blood pressure at your next visit.
Your doctor may refer you for 24hr ABPM if you
have:
 high blood pressure that is difficult to control
 borderline high blood pressure that is hard to pin down
 high blood pressure readings due to 'white coat effect’
 fainting spells
 a higher than normal risk of heart disease or stroke
How it works
Once your doctor has given you a referral (a form is
included in this brochure) it’s just a matter of making an
appointment to be fitted with a monitor.
A lightweight electronic device is worn to measure and
record the pattern of your blood pressure and your heart
rate at regular intervals as you go about your routine
activities throughout the day and night. Readings are
automatically taken every half hour during the day and
every hour during the night.
You are asked to record your activities and any medication
in a diary and key into the monitor the times you go to bed
and wake up in the morning. This produces a record of all
activities, including sleep, providing an excellent history of
your blood pressure.
The device is worn for 24 hours. The following day you
return to the centre and the monitor is removed. The
information is correlated and a report and a copy of the
readings are sent to your doctor.
How to make an appointment
Blood pressure monitors are fitted by appointment only.
To find out where you can be fitted with an Ambulatory
Blood Pressure Monitor go to our website at
www.snp.com.au|locations|collection centres, select
‘blood pressure monitor’ from the list of specialised tests.
Appointment date
Appointment time
Collection Centre
Preparations
• Shower before the test (as you will not be able to shower for 24 hours).
• You will be asked to return in 24 hours for monitor removal.
• Please bring with you a complete medication list.
• Ladies may wish to wear loose 2 piece clothing for easy attachment and removal of device.
Duration
30 minutes to attach — 15 minutes to detach
Appointment
Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring is performed at
designated collection centres. Please visit the website
for the centre closest to you.
Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology collection centres that
offer this service are located in the following regions.
Queensland
• Brisbane
• Caboolture
• Emerald
• Gladstone
• Gold Coast
• Ipswich
• Logan
•
•
•
•
•
•
Mackay
Rockhampton
Roma
Sunshine Coast
Toowoomba
Townsville
New South Wales
• Coffs Harbour
• Grafton
• Lismore
For a full list of collection centres
and the opening hours, visit
snp.com.au. With your webenabled camera phone scan the
QR Code with a QR Code reader
application.
Item 09873 August 2012
Locate our collection centres
Ambulatory Blood
Pressure Monitoring
Request form
Laboratory Number
You must bring the completed request form with you to your appointment
PATIENT DETAILS
First Name:
Date of Birth:
Middle Initial:
/
Last Name:
Gender:  Female  Male
/
Address:
Phone: Mobile
Home:
Work:
Medicare No. (to assist with patient identification)
 Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (24hr)
CLINICAL HISTORY
REFERRER DETAILS
Provider No:
Name:
Address:
Signature:
Date:
/
/
Please nominate other doctors to receive a copy of these results
Name:
Address:
Office use only
Pay Cat
Con Code
Monitor attached
Time
Staff ID/Location code/collection type stamp
:
Fees
There is no Medicare rebate available for this service. You
will have an out-of-pocket payment of $95* or $47.50* if
you are a concession card holder (Pensioners, Health Care
Card, DVA and Commonwealth Senior Card).
You will receive an account in the mail.
Your results
Your results will be sent to your doctor.
Paying your account
Australia Post Office. Your receipt will be
issued at the Post Office.
BPay Internet Banking. Your receipt will be
mailed to you.
Online credit card www.snp.com.au.
Your receipt will be mailed to you.
Phone Credit Card 1300 957 969. Phone
facility 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
Your receipt will be mailed to you.
Account enquiries
If you need assistance please contact our Patient Services
Support Team on 1300 732 030.
SULLIVAN NICOLAIDES PTY LTD • ABN 38 078 202 196
a subsidiary of Sonic Healthcare Limited • ABN 24 004 196 909
134 WHITMORE STREET • TARINGA • QLD 4068 • AUSTRALIA
TEL (07) 3377 8666 • FAX (07) 3870 0549
P O BOX 344 • INDOOROOPILLY • QLD 4068 • AUSTRALIA
*Correct at time of printing, subject to change without notice. Further information visit
our website www.snp.com.au. Applicable to outpatient pathology services.
©Sullivan Nicolaides Pty Ltd 2012