White coat hypertension is a condition in which blood pressure rises when the person is in a doctor’s office or hospital. If, on the other hand, it is at home or in a neutral place, it has normal indices.
Contrary to what one might think, it is a widespread phenomenon. HE to calculate that between 25 and 35% of those who have high blood pressure in a doctor’s office actually correspond to white coat cases.
In principle, This type of disturbance is due to an anxious reaction. However, there may be a more serious problem in some cases. On the other hand, the opposite is also possible: a person who is regularly hypertensive shows normal values ​​in the office. In this case we are talking about masked hypertension.
Causes of white coat hypertension
Most commonly, white coat hypertension is the effect of anxiety produced by doctors or healthcare settings in some people. That sort of added stress leads to values ​​that temporarily increase.
There are people who may temporarily have hypertension for other reasons as well. For example, an adverse situation, the consumption of foods with a high sodium content or the ingestion of caffeine.
The point is, even if the blood pressure returns to normal, it cannot be ruled out that there is something deeper going on. In general, people with white coat hypertension do not need drug treatment, but they do need to be monitored.
Based on the available data, this disorder could be associated with an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events. A study made by Gabriel Alcalá Sierra indicated that 46.9% of those with the condition developed essential hypertension over an 8-year period.
How to determine if hypertension is real?
For medical monitoring and disease treatment it is crucial to determine whether a person has essential or white coat hypertension. To achieve this there are two tools: outpatient measurement and home self-measurement. Let’s see what each one consists of.
outpatient measurement
The first alternative is to use an ambulatory blood pressure monitor. This device it is provided by the doctor and must be tied at the waist for between 24 and 48 hours. The device takes a measurement every 20 or 30 minutes and in this way it is possible to closely monitor the variations.
Both in this case and in the following one, in the end an average must be made between all the recorded data. This is the mean arterial pressure and allows us to establish whether there is real, masked or white-coat hypertension.
home self-measurement
It consists of taking regular measurements of blood pressure indices in non-medical settings. To do this, you need to purchase a home blood pressure monitor. It is very important that the machine is reliable and that the procedure is very clear.
It is recommended to carry out the measurement for seven consecutive days, twice a day: in the morning and at the beginning of the night. Half an hour before taking your blood pressure levels, you shouldn’t do anything that could increase it, such as exercising or eating certain foods.
Tips for overcoming white coat hypertension
White coat hypertension is the subject of discussion in the medical world. While some experts believe it is associated with increased cardiovascular risk, others believe that most events occur in older people, so age is the real risk factor.
There are currently no definitive conclusions. When in doubt, it’s best to take precautions. The first is to confirm the diagnosis through the methods already described. If it is confirmed, It is convenient to work stress through relaxation techniques or psychological counseling.
It is also advisable to cultivate more adaptive behaviors in the face of medical consultation. It might be a good idea to move away from the more congested areas of the hospital or office and ask for some time off if there is a lot of stress at the time of the measurement. Likewise, it is convenient to do a heart check in regular form.
A type of high blood pressure that can hide other problems
It is assumed that most patients have a higher blood pressure level during the consultation. The normal thing, in any case, is that a definitive diagnosis is not made only on the basis of a sporadic reading.
If there is a suspicion of essential hypertension, it is best to verify the data by ambulatory measurement or self-measurement at home. No matter what the cause or the way, when blood pressure has abnormal values, always follow up.
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