White coat hypertension, a condition in which a patient’s blood pressure readings are higher when taken at the doctor’s office compared to other settings, was originally attributed to the anxiety patients might experience during medical appointments. However, over the years, research has suggested the elevated readings might be a sign of underlying risk for future health problems. A new study led by researchers from Penn Medicine, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, reveals that patients with untreated white coat hypertension not only have a heightened risk of heart disease, but they are twice as likely to die from heart disease than people with normal blood pressure.
Researchers also found that patients with white coat hypertension who were taking medication to treat their high blood pressure, called antihypertensives, did not have an increased risk of heart disease or cardiovascular-related death compared to those with normal blood pressure readings.
“Studies suggest that about one in five adults may have white coat hypertension. Our findings underscore the importance of identifying people with this condition,” says lead author Jordana B. Cohen, an assistant professor in the division of Renal-Electrolyte and Hypertension and a senior scholar in the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics. “We believe individuals with isolated in-office hypertension—those who are not taking blood pressure medication—should be closely monitored for transition to sustained hypertension, or elevated blood pressure both at home and the doctor’s office.”
Read more at Penn Medicine News.
