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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 whose blood pressure was high both at medical visits and at home. The findings point to home readings as a possible source of information about fall risk, but the study does not establish that masked hypertension causes falls.
A preliminary study of 758 adults older than 78 found that people with masked high blood pressure—normal readings in a medical office but high readings at home—had a 70% higher rate of falls than peers with high readings in both settings. The research was presented at the American Heart Association’s Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2026 in Arlington, Virginia, and suggests that home measurements may reveal information not captured by office checks alone.
Researchers classified participants by blood pressure readings taken in medical and home settings, which can be tracked with blood pressure monitors for older adults. 15.4% had masked high blood pressure, while 34.5% had sustained high blood pressure, meaning readings were high in both settings. Another 17.0% had white coat high blood pressure—high readings in the medical setting but not at home—and 33.2% had normal readings in both settings.
Over a median follow-up of 350 days, 23.4% of participants reported having fallen at least once during the previous 12 months. The report also said that, when office and home readings were analyzed as a continuous measure, lower office blood pressure relative to home blood pressure was associated with a higher incidence of falls. These are associations; the study does not show that masked high blood pressure caused a fall.
Presenting author Frances Wang, a researcher at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, said home monitoring with an easy-to-use blood pressure cuff can provide information for clinical assessment and may help identify people with hidden fall risk. The report describes the findings as preliminary research presented at a scientific meeting.
Why Home Readings May Matter
Blood pressure measured in a clinic may not match readings taken at home. If that gap identifies older adults whose blood pressure is high outside the office, home monitoring could give care teams another factor to consider when reviewing overall health and fall risk. Falls are a major concern in later life: the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identifies them as the leading cause of disability and functional decline among adults aged 65 and older.
The findings also complicate the common focus on low blood pressure as a possible contributor to falls. They do not show that lowering blood pressure or changing medication would prevent falls, and they are not a basis for people to adjust treatment on their own. Instead, the results suggest that blood pressure patterns across settings may be relevant to discussions between older adults and their health care teams.
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The Study’s Blood Pressure Groups
“Masked” high blood pressure describes a pattern in which a person’s reading is not high in a medical office but is high outside it, here measured at home. The comparison group for the reported 70% difference was adults whose readings were high in both the office and at home. The report does not give the absolute fall rates for those two groups, so the relative difference should not be read as a specific number of additional falls.
The American Heart Association’s 2025 joint guideline recommends annual blood pressure monitoring for adults. It also recommends home monitoring to help confirm an office diagnosis and to track readings and progress as part of an integrated care plan. The guideline recommendation provides clinical context; it does not mean this study tested whether home monitoring itself prevents falls.
““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, study presenting author and researcher at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
What the Findings Cannot Establish
The study report does not explain why participants with masked high blood pressure had a higher fall rate, or whether the blood pressure pattern contributed directly to falls. It also does not provide the absolute fall rates for the masked and sustained-high-pressure groups, making it difficult to assess the size of the difference in practical terms from the percentage comparison alone.
The follow-up was relatively short, and falls were self-reported. The available report does not provide enough detail to determine how the researchers accounted for other factors that could affect fall risk, or whether the association would hold in a broader group of older adults. The findings are preliminary, and no evidence here shows that changing blood pressure treatment based on home readings would reduce falls.
How Home Monitoring Fits Care
The findings were presented during the American Heart Association’s scientific sessions, and further research will be needed to test whether the association persists and to clarify possible explanations. The report does not announce a specific next study or a planned follow-up date.
For now, the study’s authors point to sharing home blood pressure readings with a health care team as one way those measurements can inform care. People should discuss how and when to measure blood pressure and what to do with the results with a qualified health professional; the study does not support changing medication without clinical guidance.
Key Questions
What is masked high blood pressure?
It is a pattern in which blood pressure is not high in a medical office but is high when measured outside the office, such as at home. In this study, researchers compared office and home readings.
How much higher was the fall rate?
The report said the rate was 70% higher for participants with masked high blood pressure than for peers whose readings were high both at the office and at home. It does not provide the absolute rates for those groups.
Does the study prove masked high blood pressure causes falls?
No. It found an association, not proof of cause. The report says the study does not explain why fall risk was higher.
How many people were included?
The analysis included 758 adults older than 78. During a median follow-up of 350 days, 23.4% reported at least one fall during the previous 12 months.
Should older adults change blood pressure treatment based on this report?
The study does not show that changing treatment prevents falls. Anyone with questions about home readings or medication should discuss them with a qualified health professional rather than make treatment changes independently.
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