Taking Care Of Googlies In Blood Pressure Measurement
By our team of in-house writers.
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First publised on 2023-08-05 14:21:50
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By our team of in-house writers.
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It is commonly known that hypertension leads to heart disease which is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. But how many of us know that although it is simple to measure blood pressure, there are two conditions when such measurement throws up inaccurate readings and further observation is necessary? White coat hypertension and masked hypertension are two conditions that can occur when measuring blood pressure in a clinical setting and can lead to inaccurate readings.
White Coat Hypertension: White coat hypertension, also known as white coat syndrome, is a phenomenon where a person's blood pressure readings are elevated only when taken in a medical or clinical setting (such as a doctor's clinic) but are otherwise normal in everyday life. The term "white coat" refers to the typical white lab coat worn by healthcare professionals. This condition is thought to be caused by the anxiety or stress that some individuals experience when visiting a medical environment, leading to an increase in blood pressure temporarily.
People with white coat hypertension may experience anxiety, nervousness, or fear during medical appointments, which can lead to a rise in blood pressure. However, when they are outside of the medical setting, their blood pressure returns to normal levels.
It is essential to identify white coat hypertension because misdiagnosing it as persistent hypertension may lead to unnecessary treatment with antihypertensive medication. To differentiate between the two, doctors may recommend ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) or home blood pressure monitoring, which provide a more accurate assessment of a person's average blood pressure over a 24-hour period.
Masked Hypertension: Masked hypertension is the opposite of white coat hypertension. In this condition, a person's blood pressure readings are normal when taken in a clinical setting, but they have elevated blood pressure levels during their regular daily activities outside of the medical environment. The term "masked" refers to the fact that the high blood pressure remains hidden during medical visits.
Masked hypertension can be problematic because the elevated blood pressure may go unnoticed and untreated, increasing the risk of cardiovascular events if left unaddressed. It is especially concerning because the person appears to have normal blood pressure during medical checkups.
To identify masked hypertension, doctors may use ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) or home blood pressure monitoring, which allows them to track blood pressure levels over a 24-hour period and identify any hidden hypertension.
Both white coat hypertension and masked hypertension emphasize the importance of blood pressure monitoring away from clinical settings to get a more comprehensive and accurate picture of an individual's blood pressure status. Regular monitoring helps healthcare professionals make more informed decisions regarding treatment and lifestyle interventions to manage hypertension effectively.
