White coat syndrome is when a person has high blood pressure in a doctor’s office due to anxiety, but not at home. It can be diagnosed by taking multiple blood pressure readings outside of the clinical setting. Treatment is usually not required, but reducing stress can improve overall health.
White coat syndrome, sometimes called white coat hypertension, is a situation in which a person has high blood pressure in a doctor’s office while their blood pressure is being taken, but not when their blood pressure is being taken at home. The syndrome is almost certainly caused by anxiety about visiting a doctor’s office. Blood pressure can also be high in other stressful situations, but the syndrome is characterized by the fact that it is always high when visiting a doctor. While this condition is less serious than constant high blood pressure, it’s even more dangerous than having a healthy blood pressure.
The term white coat syndrome refers to the traditional white coat worn by doctors. Many doctors no longer wear a white coat, especially in small practices. Even a doctor who does not wear a white coat can still cause anxiety in patients and can therefore cause white coat syndrome. The anxiety felt when visiting a doctor is almost always related to the clinical situation rather than the gown, so white coat syndrome can also be experienced when a nurse measures a patient’s blood pressure.
Usually, white coat syndrome is differentiated from constant hypertension by taking several blood pressure readings outside of the clinical setting. A very effective way to diagnose this particular type of hypertension is to have the patient wear a special device that monitors blood pressure for a longer period of time, often over a day. Usually, any anxiety about the test or doctor will fade over the course of the day and eventually comparative readings can be taken.
Although a person with white coat syndrome should be careful to maintain an ideal weight and refrain from eating too much sodium, rigorous treatment is usually not required. Sometimes this disorder can develop into consistently high blood pressure, particularly when a person is under constant stress. It is almost certainly not necessary to treat this syndrome with medications, as overtreatment can lead to hypotension. For this reason, making the correct diagnosis is very important when treating white coat syndrome.
When trying to avoid high blood pressure in stressful situations like doctor visits, deep breathing can be effective. While most people don’t experience an increased heart rate in combination with white coat syndrome, being aware of your body can sometimes help reduce anxiety overall. It is often true that anxious people in clinical settings are not only afraid of doctors, but experience more general anxiety. Reducing stress in general not only reduces the effects of this disorder but also improves overall health.
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