What is white coat syndrome?
Some people find that their blood pressure is normal at home, but rises slightly when they are at the doctor's office. This is known as white coat syndrome or the white coat effect. The syndrome is named after doctors and medical personnel who sometimes wear white coats in a professional setting.
A healthy blood pressure is about 120/80 mm Hg. Anything above this value is considered high blood pressure.
What are its causes?
It's not uncommon for people to experience some anxiety when they visit a medical office. This increased anxiety can raise blood pressure.
White coat hypertension causes a temporary increase in blood pressure. While it may not seem serious if it occurs occasionally, some doctors believe that white coat hypertension can be a harbinger of true hypertension. One study found that people with white coat hypertension have an increased risk of developing:
- stroke
- heart attack
- heart failure
- other cardiovascular diseases.
- Another studyTrusted Source found that death from heart disease was strongly associated with white coat hypertension.
For these reasons, making a diagnosis and deciding whether you need treatment for elevated blood pressure is important.
There are ways to relax while having your blood pressure checked at home or even in the office, so you can get a good reading.
1. set a time
Timing is important when it comes to measuring blood pressure. It is best to do it more than 30 minutes after exercising, taking caffeine or eating a meal. This is because these activities can interfere with relaxation: consider the jitters you may feel after consuming caffeine or the excitement you may feel after exercising.
2. go to the bathroom
A full bladder raises blood pressure, and thinking about a full bladder can interfere with relaxation. If you need the bathroom, it's better to go before taking the test than to hold it while taking measurements.
3. wait a few minutes
Waiting a few minutes after being in the right position allows you to rest and relax before taking blood pressure measurements. Lark has tips for proper positioning, such as placing the arm on a flat surface with the top of the arm at heart level, keeping the legs uncrossed and sitting upright in a chair with a backrest.
4. check your breathing
Breathing normally during the test will give you the most accurate result. If you notice that you are breathing too hard or holding your breath before the measurement begins, you can try taking three long, deep breaths to relax.
5. visualize
Visualization can help you relax while you wait for the measurement to begin. You may think you have a good result, especially if you have been taking your medications correctly and following other Lark recommendations.
6. make small talk
If you are in a doctor's office, talking to a nurse or other staff member who is checking your blood pressure may distract you from the upcoming measurement. A short, pleasant conversation can be relaxing.
7 Exercise
The more you exercise, the more routine blood pressure testing will become. You can take measurements one or more times a day at home, and you can also practice checking your blood pressure outside the home by going to grocery stores and pharmacies with monitors available.
8. lead a healthy lifestyle
The most important thing you can do to relax during a blood pressure check is to be sure that your blood pressure is the best it can be. This can mean making choices, such as taking medications as prescribed, eating a nutritious diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in sugars and sodium, and staying physically active. On average, Lark program participants lower their blood pressure significantly! This means a longer, healthier life!
Is white coat syndrome serious?
They found that patients with untreated white coat hypertension had a 36 percent increased risk of heart disease, a 33 percent increased risk of death and a 109 percent increased risk of death from heart disease.
Most people whose blood pressure rises in the presence of a health care professional also experience higher blood pressure in other forms of stress. Studies have shown that people with this condition have a higher risk of heart attack and stroke than people whose blood pressure is normal when they see a doctor.
These patients should be monitored more closely and make sure that blood pressure monitoring outside the office is done on a semi-regular basis. Out-of-office monitoring will ensure that blood pressure at home remains low and that patients do not progress to elevated blood pressure at home and at the health care facility.
Translated from www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
