White Coat Hypertension – when blood pressure is elevated during a doctor's visit
The term „White Coat Hypertension“, which is also referred to as White Coat High Blood Pressure, Office Hypertension, Office Hypertension, or Isolated Clinical Hypertension (English: white coat hypertension - short WCHT), refers to elevated blood pressure values that occur only during measurements in a doctor's office or clinic.
The phenomenon of Office Hypertension was first described in 1983 by the Italian hypertension researcher Professor Giuseppe Mancia.
In this case, blood pressure values rise just a few minutes after entering the office or clinic for those affected; even when no white coat is in sight. The values usually remain elevated even with repeated measurements in the office. The assumption that it is due to a lack of physical rest during the measurement is therefore not confirmed.
In contrast, blood pressure measurements taken in the home environment yield lower values, often even within the normal range.
Masked and White Coat Hypertension (=High Blood Pressure) in Comparison
This is based on the tension that some people experience when visiting a doctor or clinic. Often, fears regarding health or treatment also play a role.
White Coat Hypertension can be uncovered, for example, through self-measurements at home. If there is suspicion, the treating physician will likely order a 24-hour blood pressure monitoring, during which blood pressure values are automatically measured and recorded over a longer period - even overnight.
If the suspicion of White Coat Hypertension is confirmed, usually no treatment is necessary. However, since a true hypertension can develop from this, known risk factors such as lack of exercise, smoking, obesity, and the like should be reduced as much as possible. Additionally, White Coat Hypertension should be monitored for this reason.
An Italian study also found that individuals with Office Hypertension sometimes had an enlarged left ventricle and thickening of the heart walls. This is also a reason to keep an eye on White Coat Hypertension to detect possible changes early. Whether and when a medication therapy is necessary must be decided by the treating physician in each case.
According to studies, White Coat Hypertension occurs only half as often as masked hypertension, where lower values are measured in the office than in everyday life.
Sources:
By Sabine Croci.
This article is medically reviewed. Last updated (12/2023).
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