White coat hypertension – when blood pressure is high during a doctor's visit
The term „white coat hypertension“, also called white coat high blood pressure, office hypertension, practice hypertension, or isolated clinical hypertension (English: white coat hypertension - abbreviated WCHT), describes blood pressure readings that are elevated only when measured in the doctor's office or clinic.
The phenomenon of office hypertension was first described in 1983 by the Italian hypertension researcher Professor Giuseppe Mancia.
In many people, blood pressure rises just minutes after entering the doctor's office or clinic even if no white coat is in sight. The readings usually remain elevated on repeated measurements in the office. So the idea that this is caused by not being physically rested during the measurement does not hold up.
By contrast, measurements taken at home are lower, often even within the normal range.
The cause is usually the tension or anxiety some people feel when visiting a doctor's office or clinic. Worries about their health or the treatment often play a role as well.
You can uncover white coat hypertension, for example, with home self-measurements. If it is suspected, the treating physician will probably order a 24-hour blood pressure monitoring test, which automatically records blood pressure readings over a longer period including overnight.
If white coat hypertension is confirmed, treatment is usually not necessary. However, because true hypertension can develop over time, known risk factors such as lack of exercise, smoking, overweight and the like should be reduced where possible. For this reason, white coat hypertension should be monitored.
An Italian study also found that some people with office hypertension had enlargement of the left heart chamber and thickening of the heart walls. This is another reason to keep an eye on white coat hypertension so any changes can be detected early. Whether and when medication is necessary must, in any case, be decided by the treating physician.
According to studies, white coat hypertension occurs only about half as often as masked hypertension, where readings in the doctor's office are lower than in daily life.
Sources:
This article comes from BloodPressureDB – the leading app since 2011 that helps hundreds of thousands monitor their blood pressure every day.
Our content is based on carefully researched, evidence-based data and is continuously updated (as of 11/2025).
Author Sabine Croci is a qualified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as in outpatient care, and has led BloodPressureDB's specialist editorial team since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as a paramedic, first responder and in various therapy and emergency areas, she provides solid, practical and reliably reviewed information.
Author Sabine Croci is a qualified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as in outpatient care, and has led BloodPressureDB's specialist editorial team since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as a paramedic, first responder and in various therapy and emergency areas, she provides solid, practical and reliably reviewed information.
