PharmD Info

[Maria Sony Paul]

I am not a hypertensive patient but my father has been diagnosed with hypertension for the past 3 years. Recently, i came across an article of hypertension and was intrigued by the term white coat hypertension. I would like to know more about the same term.

[Balamurugan]

White coat hypertension or white coat syndrome
is a condition affecting patients who experience stress or anxiety at a medical setting such as doctor's office or hospital. This results in a higher than normal blood pressure reading during their visit.
OVERCOMING WHITE COAT SYNDROME: Knowing that your blood pressure might climb higher in your doctor’s office may actually become a self-fulfilling prophecy for some. In other words, the worry that you’ll have a high blood pressure reading may actually cause just enough anxiety to boost your blood pressure.

Before you strap on the blood pressure cuff, keep these tips in mind for a normal reading:
RELAX:
If you’re feeling anxious or worried when you sit down to have your blood pressure measured, ask the doctor or nurse to wait a bit so you can calm down.

MOVE TO A DIFFERENT AREA:
Sometimes the triage areas of doctor’s offices are crowded with people and office staff. Ask if you can move to a quiet area away from everyone else so you can get a more accurate measurement.

PRACTICE STRESS RELIEF :
Find a technique that helps you calm down when you’re anxious or stressed. For example, breathe deeply and exhale slowly. Try a few of these breaths before your blood pressure reading.

CHNAGE THE CONVERSATION
Talking while having your blood pressure taken can help distract you from the test and improve your reading. For others, however, sitting quietly without talking may be more relaxing. Try different methods to see which works for you.

[Naghul adhithya k s]

White coat hypertension (WHT), more commonly known as white coat syndrome, is a phenomenon in which people exhibit a blood pressure level above the normal range, in a clinical setting, although they do not exhibit it in other settings. It is believed that the phenomenon is due to anxiety experienced during a clinic visit.