White coat hypertension is defined as when a person has unusually high blood pressure during a doctor’s visit.  This condition is seen in both patients who have normal or low blood pressure and ones who have high blood pressure or hypertension.  White coat hypertension can cause problems if unrecognized, as it could lead to a false diagnosis of hypertension.  It can also be a warning sign of cardiovascular disease, as people with white coat hypertension tend to have the same types of structural irregularities in their hearts and blood vessels as people with high blood pressure.

At this time, there’s still debate about whether attempts should be made to treat white coat hypertension.  For now though, if you have this condition, it’s important that you tell your doctor about it.  The causes of white coat hypertension are still somewhat unknown, although anxiety over having to visit the doctor is often given as one, as well as not properly taking your blood pressure medication.  The people most likely to have this condition tend to be female, older, overweight, and/or Caucasian.  It occurs in about 20 to 40% of people with high blood pressure as well.

If you have white coat hypertension and it’s been confirmed through a number of blood pressure tests taken over a number of doctor’s visits, then your doctor will usually have you monitor your blood pressure in other places besides the doctor’s office, such as at home or at a pharmacy.  This is important, as it can help determine if your blood pressure rises in other situations as well, or to determine if you do indeed have high blood pressure.  There may be some hope for those who have it, as some research has shown that when properly addressed by both doctor and patient, the condition can disappear after a number of doctor’s visits, sometimes as few as four.