Normal at the Doctor, High at Home: Study Links Hidden Blood Pressure to Falls
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A reassuring blood pressure reading during a routine medical appointment may miss a health risk in older patients, according to new U.S. research presented at the American Heart Association's Hypertension Scientific Sessions on October 9, 2026.
Researchers found that adults aged 78 to 98 with masked hypertension — normal readings in the clinic but elevated readings at home — had a 70% higher risk of falls than participants whose blood pressure was consistently high in both settings. The study involved 758 adults, 15.4% of whom had masked hypertension.
Nearly one in four participants reported at least one fall during a follow-up period of approximately one year. The findings are preliminary and have not undergone full peer review. They establish an association rather than proving that masked hypertension causes falls.
The results reinforce Canadian recommendations to check blood pressure outside the doctor's office. Hypertension Canada advises using validated home monitors, with two readings taken in the morning and two in the evening over seven days, or 24-hour ambulatory monitoring when appropriate. These additional measurements can help identify hypertension that a routine office visit might miss.
