P078 EVALUATION OF THE FREQUENCY AND GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE USE OF AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING IN COLOMBIA

Background and Objectives: Hypertension is the main modifiable cardiovascular risk factor. However, 46% of adults with hypertension are unaware of their diagnosis. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) can be very helpful in the identification of white coat and masked hypertension, offering advantages when compared to in-office measurement. Unfortunately, this method is not available at all levels of care. Particularly in Colombia, there is no information regarding the frequency of use or geographic distribution; however, it's inferred that it's more available in the most developed regions. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the frequency of use, geographic distribution, and demographic characteristics of patients who underwent ABPM in Colombia. Methods: Cross sectional study, carried out through the review of the SISPRO records of Colombians aged 18 years or older, with indication of performing ABPM between 2019 and 2023. Results: 405,396 individuals in Colombia underwent ABPM (7.7 ABPMs per 1000 inhabitants per year). 63.1% were females. The departments with the highest number of ABPM studies were Bogotá (71,709 ABPMs – 9.9 ABPMs per 1000 inhabitants per year), followed by Antioquia (45,097 ABPMs - 7.5 ABPMs per 1000 inhabitants per year) (Figure 1). Concerning age groups, the highest number of ABPM requests was between 70 and 74 years (50,103 patients), followed by the 55-59 years group (46,944 patients). 72.25% of the requests were for patients older than 50 years. Conclusions: Although Colombia has improved in the implementation and use of ABPM at the national level, its use predominates in women, patients aged between 70 and 74 years, and at the level of the 2 largest cities in the country. Collective efforts are required at national level to improve the implementation and registration of the ABPM.