{"id":26508,"date":"2021-08-02T23:16:30","date_gmt":"2021-08-02T23:16:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medical.andonline.com\/?p=26508"},"modified":"2023-06-13T12:09:58","modified_gmt":"2023-06-13T12:09:58","slug":"what-is-white-coat-hypertension-and-what-can-i-do-about-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medical.andonline.com\/what-is-white-coat-hypertension-and-what-can-i-do-about-it\/?lang=ce","title":{"rendered":"What is White Coat Hypertension and What Can I Do About It?"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is White Coat Hypertension and What Can I Do About It?<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div><\/section>\n

You may have heard the saying \u201can apple a day keeps the doctor away,\u201d but for some, a visit to the doctor \u2013 even for routine visits \u2013 is a cause for stress and anxiety.<\/p>\n

If that describes you, you may have noticed that your blood pressure (BP) is high during medical appointments, even though it\u2019s usually within normal ranges at home. \u00a0There\u2019s a term for this: Whitecoat Hypertension (WCH).<\/p>\n

And as it turns out, about\u00a020% of adults suffer from WCH<\/a>, also referred to as White Coat Syndrome or the White Coat Effect.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n

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What is White Coat Hypertension?<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

As you may have already guessed, WCH is when your blood pressure readings are\u00a0abnormally elevated when in a medical environment<\/a>, such as the doctor\u2019s office or urgent care center.<\/p>\n

It is called \u201cwhite coat\u201d hypertension because healthcare professionals are known for wearing white coats, and the anxiety and stress you experience during medical visits can trigger your body to release hormones that raise your BP, like adrenaline.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n

Why Does White Coat Hypertension Matter?<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

You might think that WCH shouldn\u2019t matter too much because it\u2019s a temporary condition.<\/p>\n

However, the downside of WCH is that your doctor may think your blood pressure is always high just because it is high when your measurements were taken. \u00a0This means you may be\u00a0prescribed unnecessary medications<\/a>, which may lead to other complications, like your blood pressure becoming too low (hypotension).<\/p>\n

Also, if you have WCH, you are more likely to have elevated BP in other stressful situations as well, like business meetings, bad traffic, or various life events. \u00a0These stress-related spikes may require specific treatment to ward off\u00a0dangerous cardiovascular risks<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n

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How Do I Know if I Have WCH or Regular Hypertension?<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Good question! \u00a0If you\u2019re diagnosed with Hypertension (high blood pressure), you should ask your doctor if you might have WCH. \u00a0In fact, according to\u00a0one study<\/a>, \u201cnearly 93% of adults in the United States who have high blood pressure\u2026 should be screened for \u2018white coat hypertension\u2019.\u201d \u00a0Your doctor may recommend confirming the diagnosis by one of two methods: home monitoring or ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.<\/p>\n