About ABPM
What is white coat hypertension?
As mentioned under "About ABPM" , this phenomenon reflects to the fact when some patients who apparently have raised blood pressure in case of timely measurements, have normal blood pressure if the measurement is done away from the medical environment. After the research comparison between the use of home and 24 hour blood pressure monitoring, it became obvious that measuring the patients' blood pressure in a clinic or at the office, can raise their blood pressure above their average or mean ambulatory pressure as the result of the white coat phenomenon. Please find below this box, which summarises the features of white coat hypertension.
White coat hypertension
Definition:
A temporary elevation in a patient's blood pressure that occurs when measured in a medical setting (as a physician's office) and that is usually due to anxiety on the part of the patient (Merriam-Webster dictionary, 2008).
Prevalence of white coat hypertension:
15-30% of general population.
Common in elderly people and pregnant women.
Risks:
Less than from sustained hypertension.
Probably small risk when compared with people with normal blood pressure.
Possibly a precursor to hypertension.
Clinical implications:
No clinical characteristics assist in diagnosis.
Must be considered in people newly diagnosed with hypertension.
Should be considered before drug treatment is prescribed (could lead to fewer drugs being prescribed).
Must be placed in context of the overall risk profile.
Should reassure patients, employers, and insurers that risk from white coat hypertension is low or absent.
Patients need follow up and another monitoring session.
Source: http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/320/7242/1128#u7
