What’s white coat hypertension?

There are approximately 20% of people whose pressures are higher in a doctor’s office than at home: this hypertension is called “white coat hypertension”. The blood pressure is ³ 140/90 mmHg when measured in office, on the contrary normal daytime ambulatory blood pressure is < 135/85 mmHg. The risk of this kind of hypertension is small, but it is possibly a precursor to clear hypertension. This subjects must be placed in context of the overall  risk profile. Furthermore they need to be reassured, follow up and monitoring again.

 

Hypertension resistant to treatment

We have this hypertension when the blood pressure remains consistently above 150/90 mmHg with conventional measurement despite being treated with three or more drugs. Please be sure they are taking prescribed treatment!!! ABPM can identify real resistant hypertension and may indicate that the apparent lack of response is caused by the white coat phenomenon: alternatively the absence of a night-time drope in blood pressure may suggest secondary hypertension.

 

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