What is Whitecoat Syndrome?

Whitecoat syndrome is a name that is given to a disorder in which a person develops high blood pressure when they are around doctors, who wear white coats. Jon Johnson has expanded on this syndrome in an article that was reviewed by Carissa Stephens, RN, CCRN, CPN.

There are some people that usually have normal blood pressure until they visit the doctor, at which time their BP spikes. The condition is actually hypertension of the white coat effect that will make the blood pressure read higher than it is, which could indicate an underlying blood pressure condition. At this time, a thorough diagnosis is vital to ascertain any necessary treatments.

Normal blood pressure levels are around 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and reading of anything above 140/90 mmHg is defined as hypertension. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that about 32% of American adults have high blood pressure. This is a condition where the force of the blood against the walls of the arteries in the body is too high.

Some factors that might increase the risk of hypertension are obesity, lack of physical activity, lifestyle choices as smoking or drinking too much alcohol, a high-stress lifestyle, too much salt intake, family history of high blood pressure, older age, thyroid disorder, sleep apnea, kidney disease, and genetics.

Whitecoat hypertension typically occurs only at the doctor’s office or other medical centers and may have something to do with nervousness or anxiety.
Recently a study was posted in the journal Hypertension that noted between 15% and 30% of people with high blood pressure at the doctor’s office might be affected by the white coat hypertension. However, some believe that this condition is a precursor to actual hypertension. The Journal of the American College of Cardiology included a study that found people who had white coat hypertension were also more likely to experience cardiovascular issues. Chemical meds are typically not prescribed to treat someone with high blood pressure based on one high reading. They prefer to take multiple readings that might include monitoring the blood pressure at home.

Some preventative measures might be relaxation techniques, moving to a different doctor’s office or just taking a moment to relax before your turn to see the doctor. Just the fear of visiting your doctor can cause high blood pressure. It might be, though, that this is a precursor to real high blood pressure and should definitely be monitored.

Dr Fredda Branyon