White-coat hypertension, so named because doctors have historically worn white coats, is the term used to describe blood pressure that is elevated only in medical settings. Anxiety and stress are thought to be the causes of these blood pressure rises. However, are they really innocuous blips or something more serious?
White-coat hypertension is associated with a slight but significant increase in heart-related risks, according to a 2024 review published in Current Hypertension Reports. Full-time high blood pressure, which is defined as a reading of 130/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or greater, is also common in people with white-coat syndrome.
People must take their blood pressure outside of the doctor’s office in order to diagnose white-coat hypertension. One choice is ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, which employs a gadget that takes and logs blood pressure automatically every 15 to 30 minutes for a full day. Another is the use of a home blood pressure monitor, which Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital cardiologist Dr. Randall Zusman advises all of his patients to do.