Earthquake and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring

Abstract

Major natural disasters can severely affect people’s health. This paper examines the relationship between 3 earthquakes and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). Regarding elevated blood pressure (BP), similar data is evident in all three major earthquakes (Central Italy, China and Japan). The natural disaster spotlighted in this paper is the Great East Japan Earthquake, which occurred in north-east Japan on March 11, 2011 (magnitude 9.0 on the moment magnitude scale [MMS]). During this earthquake, thirteen patients were monitored by ABPM as part of this study, it was noted that participant BP was elevated; but it is worth noting that their home BP did not become elevated until the following day.