White-Coat Hypertension
White-Coat Hypertension is the name given to a phenomenon
whereby people visiting a doctor, and having their blood pressure checked,
experience an abnormally high blood pressure reading only while at the
doctor's office. An article discussing this condition appeared in the March
25, 2003 edition of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
In the article, William B. White, MD. professor and head
of the hypertension and clinical pharmacology program at the University of
Connecticut Health Center said, "This alarmingly high blood pressure occurs
only when the patient is in a physician's office. The patient's blood
pressure is remarkably higher when measured by a doctor but lower when
measured in a different setting, such as a senior center or at home." Dr.
White also estimated that one-third of senior citizens with mild
hypertension suffer from the condition and are often treated with unneeded
medications.
''I was treating a gentleman for uncontrolled and
resistant [to medication] high blood pressure,'' says White. ''One day he
walked in, jumped up on the table and mentioned he'd just come from playing
nine holes of golf. He looked great and felt great. I took his blood
pressure and it was 298 over 100. [Normal is 130/90.] I asked him how he
felt, and he said terrific. It just didn't make any sense, until he
mentioned that his blood pressure was always lower when it was measured
anywhere other than a doctor's office.''
Most folks admit to feeling nervous during a doctor's
visit. But for some, the stress of being in a medical setting goes well
beyond being anxious about an exam or a shot. The article offered two
suggestions to those who feel they might be a candidate for this
phenomenon. First they recommend that you also have your blood pressure
monitored somewhere other than the doctors office, and secondly if you've
noticed a persistent discrepancy between your blood pressure readings at
your doctor's office and those taken elsewhere, you should let your health
care provider know.
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