White coat hypertension is a condition where your blood pressure goes up when it’s measured at a doctor’s office but is normal when checked at home or in other everyday settings.
This can be confusing and may make it seem like you have high blood pressure when you actually don’t.
The name “white coat hypertension” comes from the white coats that doctors often wear. Many people feel nervous during medical visits, and this anxiety can cause a temporary rise in blood pressure.
Studies show that about 20–30% of people who have high readings at the doctor’s office actually have normal blood pressure at home.
This happens because of how the body responds to stress. When you feel anxious, your body releases stress hormones like adrenaline. These hormones make your heart beat faster and tighten your blood vessels, causing your blood pressure to rise. This “fight or flight” reaction is normal but can make your blood pressure look higher than it really is.
White coat hypertension is not as risky as constant high blood pressure, but it still matters. It can be a warning sign of something called masked hypertension. That’s when your blood pressure is normal in the doctor’s office but high during your everyday life. Masked hypertension can increase the risk of heart problems if left untreated.
To find out if someone has white coat hypertension, doctors often recommend checking blood pressure at home over time.
Home monitors are affordable and easy to use. They give a more accurate view of what your blood pressure is like day to day. Keeping a log and sharing it with your doctor can help figure out if the high readings only happen in medical settings.
Another option is Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM). This means wearing a small device for 24 hours that checks your blood pressure regularly—even while you sleep. This gives a full picture of your blood pressure over time. If your readings are only high at the doctor’s office, it’s likely white coat hypertension.
If you have white coat hypertension, calming your anxiety can help. Try deep breathing, meditation, or mindfulness to relax your body and mind. Doing these regularly can make them more effective when you feel stressed, like during a medical visit.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is another option. This type of talk therapy helps you change negative thoughts and reactions to stress. Many people find that CBT helps them stay calm during doctor visits, which lowers their blood pressure.
Healthy lifestyle changes also help. Regular exercise, eating healthy, and getting good sleep can reduce stress and improve your heart health. Cutting back on caffeine and alcohol also helps, since these can raise blood pressure and make anxiety worse.
In some cases, medication might be needed. Doctors may suggest blood pressure medicine or anxiety medicine if lifestyle changes are not enough. This is more common if white coat hypertension is very high or causes other health risks.
In short, white coat hypertension means your blood pressure goes up during medical visits because of stress or anxiety. It’s important to find out if this is the case, so that real high blood pressure isn’t missed. There are many ways to manage it—from home monitoring and stress relief to therapy, lifestyle changes, and medication.
Understanding white coat hypertension can help you take better care of your health and protect your heart in the long run.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about unhealthy habits that could increase high blood pressure risk, and eating eggs in a healthy diet may reduce risks of diabetes, high blood pressure.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and results showing 12 foods that lower blood pressure.
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