White coat hypertension, masked hypertension, sustained hypertension are conditions that may be misclassified due to elevated blood pressure readings in a healthcare setting. Masked hypertension occurs when blood pressure is normal at the doctor's office, but elevated when taken at home. White coat hypertension refers to elevated blood pressure readings when taken in a healthcare setting, which can result in misclassification of patients whose blood pressure is actually normal. Sustained hypertension refers to blood pressure that is elevated whether taken in the doctor's office or at home. 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring has various uses, including: - Determining how well antihypertensive drugs control high blood pressure - Predicting likelihood of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease linked to hypertension and organ damage - Suitable for pregnant women with hypertension, people with "borderline" hypertension, difficulty controlling blood pressure with medication, changes in prescription medications that may impact blood pressure, fainting episodes or low blood pressure Benefits associated with 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring include: - Ruling out white coat hypertension and unnecessary prescriptions for blood pressure-lowering drugs - Detecting masked hypertension and providing necessary medications - Reducing incidence of stroke, heart disease, and organ damage due to hypertension - Evaluating response to long-acting antihypertensive medications Disadvantages of 24-hour blood pressure monitoring include: - Discomfort due to repeated inflation of the cuff, which can cause soreness in the upper arm - BP readings during the night may interfere with sleep - Cuff irritation and mild rash on the arm that usually goes away on its own