High blood pressure at the doctor’s office but not at home?
Known as white-coat hypertension, this common condition may raise heart risks if left untreated.
Medical appointments make most people feel at least a little bit anxious. But for some, that stress may trigger a temporary rise in blood pressure. If their blood pressure is normal at home and in other nonmedical settings, they have what’s known as white-coat hypertension.
Now, a large study suggests that people with this condition face a greater threat of heart disease than people whose blood pressure readings are always normal. Normal blood pressure is defined as less than 120/80, whereas high blood pressure is 130/80 and higher.
“If your blood pressure goes up under the relatively nonthreatening situation of seeing a doctor, then what might happen if you’re cut off on the highway, or experience a challenging family or work circumstance?” says Dr. Randall Zusman, a cardiologist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. Everyone’s blood pressure fluctuates constantly throughout the day. But people with white-coat hypertension may experience more frequent and higher spikes. About one in five people has the condition, which doctors typically don’t treat with medication.
Credit: Pixabay
The white-coat effect
The post High blood pressure at the doctors office but not at home? appeared first on Healthier Environment Living Program.