This article discusses how to identify white coat syndrome and manage it at home or in healthcare parameters.
When Is Blood Pressure High?
Blood pressure is the amount of force that blood exerts on the walls of your blood vessels.
Illustration by Zoe Hansen for Verywell Health
This measurement is divided into two numbers:systolic and diastolicblood pressure.
If the second test also shows high blood pressure, your provider may recommend home or ambulatory monitoring.
During ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, you wear a blood pressure cuff for 24 hours.
Your provider reviews the data to identify any concerning patterns.
Providers look for significant differences between repeated at-home and in-clinic test results to confirm white coat syndrome.
Associated Symptoms
High blood pressure and white coat syndrome usually do not causesymptoms.
If you have a blood pressure reading of 180/120 accompanied by symptoms, call 911 immediately.
White Coat Syndrome: A Diagnostic Dilemma
White coat syndrome is a significant challenge for healthcare providers.
It can lead to false diagnoses, and the condition may carry its own risks.
How Common Is White Coat Syndrome?
Though exact figures are unknown, studies suggest white coat syndrome is relatively common.
Unnecessary prescriptions can lead to side effects and negative health impacts.
In addition, researchers found unnecessarily taking medications for high blood pressure lowered adherence to necessary medications.
Masked hypertension can lead to delayed diagnosis or unnecessary changes in prescriptions.
Untreated high blood pressure raises the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and masked hypertension is associated with organ damage.
Psychological factors also seem to play a role.
While everyone may be susceptible to white coat syndrome, certain populations are more likely to develop this condition.
It occurs more often among women and people older than 50 (with increased prevalence with age).
Blood pressure medications arent appropriate for this condition.
At Home
Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring at home helps detect and manage white coat syndrome.
Learn and develop practices that ease anxiety and stress before taking your blood pressure at home.
Such practices may include regular meditation or mindfulness exercises, deep breathing, or simply unwinding.
Lifestyle changes focus on improving cardiovascular health and taking on conditions that raise risk.
These should be taken daily, typically at consistent times.
Your prescribing healthcare provider will offer more detailed instructions and monitor your blood pressure.
If you have high blood pressure, treatments include lifestyle changes and medications.
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