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Preliminary research 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 whose blood pressure was high both at home and in the office. The results show an association, not proof that masked high blood pressure causes falls; the researchers say home readings can add information for clinical assessment.
Adults older than 78 whose blood pressure was high at home but not in the medical office had a 70% higher rate of falls than peers with high readings in both settings, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association’s Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2026. The finding suggests home measurements may reveal blood pressure patterns not captured by an office reading, but the study does not establish that masked high blood pressure causes falls.
The study included 758 adults older than 78, grouped according to blood pressure readings taken in medical and home settings. Researchers classified 15.4% as having masked high blood pressure, meaning readings were high at home but not in the office. Another 34.5% had sustained high blood pressure, with elevated readings in both settings; 17.0% had white coat high blood pressure; and 33.2% had normal readings in both settings.
During a median follow-up of 350 days, 23.4% of participants reported having fallen at least once in the previous 12 months. The report says the comparison between masked and sustained high blood pressure showed a 70% higher rate of falls for the masked group. When researchers examined office and home readings as continuous measurements, lower office pressure relative to home pressure was also associated with more falls.
The research is preliminary and was presented at a scientific meeting; the source report does not provide details about a peer-reviewed journal publication. Falls were self-reported, and the reported comparison is an association. It does not show that masked high blood pressure itself caused participants to fall.
Why Home Readings May Matter
The findings draw attention to a possible blind spot in assessing blood pressure among older adults: a reading taken in a clinic may not reflect measurements at home. If a clinician relies only on office readings, elevated pressure outside the clinic could go unnoticed. Home monitoring may give care teams an additional source of information when reviewing blood pressure and fall risk.
That matters because falls can threaten mobility and independence. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identifies falls as the leading cause of disability and functional decline among adults 65 and older, according to the source report. The study does not show that treating masked high blood pressure would prevent falls, and it does not explain the association. Its practical implication is narrower: home readings may be useful information to discuss with a health care professional, rather than a reason to change treatment without advice.
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How Masked Pressure Was Identified
Masked high blood pressure describes a pattern in which blood pressure is elevated outside a medical setting but appears normal in the office. The contrasting white coat pattern is high blood pressure in the office but not at home. The study compared these patterns with sustained high blood pressure, where readings were elevated in both settings, and normal readings in both.
The American Heart Association’s 2025 joint guideline recommends annual blood pressure monitoring for all adults. It also recommends home monitoring to help confirm an office diagnosis and to track blood pressure and progress as part of an integrated care plan. The guideline is broader than this study, which focused on falls among adults older than 78.
““These findings highlight that, 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 Establish
The reported findings do not explain why masked high blood pressure was associated with more falls. Watson suggested blood pressure variability or difficulty regulating pressure through the day as possibilities, but those explanations were not established by this study. The source report also does not specify whether other differences between participants could account for some of the association.
The fall measure was based on participants’ reports, and the follow-up period had a median of 350 days. It remains unclear from the report how the 70% comparison was calculated in detail, whether the findings will appear in a peer-reviewed journal, and whether they apply to older adults beyond this study group. The results do not show that lowering blood pressure or starting home monitoring reduces falls.
How Clinicians May Use Home Readings
The research was presented at the American Heart Association’s Hypertension Scientific Sessions, held October 7–11, 2026, in Arlington, Virginia. The source report does not give a date for further analysis or publication. Additional research would be needed to test why the association appears and whether home readings can help identify people who may benefit from specific fall-prevention steps.
For now, the study’s authors say older adults and caregivers can share regular home blood pressure readings with a health care team to inform care planning. Decisions about monitoring or treatment should be made with a clinician, who can interpret home and office readings together.
Key Questions
What is masked high blood pressure?
It is a pattern in which blood pressure is high at home but not elevated when measured in a medical office.
How much higher was the reported fall rate?
Adults with masked high blood pressure had a 70% higher rate of falls than participants whose readings were high both at home and in the office. This was an association, not evidence that one condition caused the other.
How many people took part in the study?
The study included 758 adults older than 78. During a median follow-up of 350 days, 23.4% reported at least one fall in the previous 12 months.
Does the study show that home monitoring prevents falls?
No. It suggests home readings may provide information not captured in an office measurement, but it did not test whether monitoring or changing treatment prevents falls.
What should older adults do with home blood pressure readings?
The study’s presenting author recommends sharing readings with a health care team. A clinician can interpret them alongside office measurements and other health information.
Source: rss
