Elderly Adults With Masked High Blood Pressure Linked To Higher Risk Of Falls

TL;DR

Before you orderOffer from Amazon

Get health and wellness essentials delivered free with Prime

• Fast, free delivery on millions of items
• Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
• Member-only deals all year

Start your free Prime trial →Free trial for eligible customers · Cancel anytime

As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.Hide

A preliminary study presented at the American Heart Association’s 2026 Hypertension Scientific Sessions found that adults older than 78 with masked high blood pressure had a 70% higher rate of falls than peers with high readings both at home and in the office. The study was observational and does not establish why the association occurred or that masked hypertension causes falls.

A preliminary study of 758 adults older than 78 found that those whose blood pressure was high at home but not in the medical office had a 70% higher rate of falls than participants with high readings in both settings. The findings were presented at the American Heart Association’s Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2026 in Arlington, Virginia, and point to home readings as a possible source of information that office measurements alone can miss.

Researchers classified participants by blood pressure readings taken in medical and home settings. Masked high blood pressure refers to readings that are high at home but not high in the office. In the study, 15.4% of participants fell into that category. Another 34.5% had sustained high blood pressure, with elevated readings in both settings; 17.0% had white coat high blood pressure, with elevated office readings but not elevated home readings; and 33.2% had normal readings in both settings.

Over a median follow-up of 350 days, nearly one in four participants, or 23.4%, self-reported at least one fall during the previous 12 months. The reported 70% difference compares the fall rate in the masked high blood pressure group with the rate among those with sustained high blood pressure. The researchers also reported that, when office and home readings were analyzed as continuous measures, lower office pressure relative to home pressure was associated with a higher incidence of falls.

The findings are preliminary research presented at a scientific meeting, rather than proof that masked high blood pressure causes falls. The source report does not provide the absolute fall rates for each blood pressure group, so the relative difference does not show how many additional falls occurred. Participants’ falls were self-reported, and the reported follow-up period was about a year.

Why Home Readings May Matter

The result draws attention to a gap that can arise when blood pressure is measured only in a clinic: an office reading may not reflect a person’s pressure at home. For older adults, identifying different readings across settings could give health care teams another factor to consider when reviewing blood pressure and fall history. The study does not show that monitoring at home prevents falls, but it supports the potential value of sharing home readings as part of a care discussion.

Falls can have serious consequences for older people. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes falls as the leading cause of disability and functional decline among adults 65 and older. Study presenter Frances Wang said home measurements may help identify “hidden high blood pressure at home and risk of falls” alongside office measurements.

The findings may also prompt questions about how blood pressure changes across settings and over time. However, the study does not establish a mechanism or show that changing blood pressure treatment would reduce fall risk. Decisions about monitoring or treatment should be made with a qualified health professional who can review an individual’s readings and circumstances.

How Researchers Classified Readings

The study examined older adults using both office and home blood pressure readings, distinguishing masked hypertension from sustained hypertension and white coat hypertension. These categories describe patterns across measurement settings; they do not, by themselves, establish a cause for an outcome such as falling.

The American Heart Association’s 2025 blood pressure guideline, as summarized in the source report, recommends annual monitoring for all adults. It also recommends home monitoring to help confirm an office diagnosis of high blood pressure and to track readings and progress as part of an integrated care plan. The guideline provides the clinical background for interest in home measurements; the reported study is a separate analysis of falls in adults over 78.

““In addition to office blood pressure measurement, home blood pressure readings can be an important way to identify hidden high blood pressure at home and risk of falls in older adults.””

— Frances Wang, Ph.D., M.S., study presenting author and researcher at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

What the Study Cannot Explain

The findings show an association, not causation. They do not establish whether masked high blood pressure contributed to falls, whether another factor influenced both, or whether differences in blood pressure over the day explain the pattern. Watson said the study did not explain why the fall risk was higher; her comments about blood pressure variability were a possible interpretation, not a finding proven by this analysis.

The source report does not specify the absolute fall rates by blood pressure category, the full details of how home measurements were collected, or whether the analysis accounted for other factors that may affect fall risk. It also does not report whether participants’ blood pressure treatment changed during the study. Further research would be needed to determine whether the association holds in other groups and whether home monitoring or treatment changes affect falls.

Further Research and Clinical Review

The study was presented at the American Heart Association’s 2026 Hypertension Scientific Sessions, held October 7–11 in Arlington. The source report does not identify a journal publication date or describe a planned next phase of the research, so the timing of further results is not known.

For now, the researchers and the AHA expert highlighted home readings as information that may be useful in clinical assessment. Older adults and caregivers can discuss how to measure and share readings with a health care team; this study does not establish a fall-prevention treatment or replace individual medical advice. The next evidence needed includes fuller reporting of group-specific fall rates and research testing whether the observed link persists and what factors might explain it.

Key Questions

What is masked high blood pressure?

It is a pattern in which blood pressure is high at home but not in the medical office. The study compared this group with people whose readings were high in both settings, as well as other reading patterns.

How much higher was the fall rate?

The study reported a 70% higher fall rate for participants with masked high blood pressure compared with those whose readings were high both at home and in the office. The source report does not give the absolute fall rates for the two groups.

Does the study show that masked hypertension causes falls?

No. The research found an association and does not establish that masked high blood pressure caused falls or explain why the groups differed.

How many people took part, and how long were they followed?

The analysis included 758 adults older than 78. The median follow-up was 350 days; participants self-reported whether they had fallen at least once during the previous 12 months.

Should older adults change their blood pressure care based on this report?

The study does not establish a treatment change or prove that home monitoring prevents falls. People who have questions about blood pressure readings or fall risk should discuss them with a qualified health professional.

Source: rss