White Coat Syndrome: What Is It & How Does It Affect People?
Going to the doctor’s office can be a little too stressful for some individuals. It heightens their anxiety, often causing physiological changes such as increased blood pressure.
In many cases, patients’ blood pressure readings are significantly higher in a doctor’s office than they would be otherwise. If this happens routinely, they’re said to be struggling with white coat syndrome.
White Coat Syndrome: Another Name for Hypertension?
Not quite.
White coat syndrome (also known as white coat hypertension) refers specifically to high blood pressure readings in a medical setting. This means that while a patient may have normal blood pressure readings at home, work, or in any other setting, they increase when they’re in a medical environment because of related stress and anxiety.
Individuals who experience hypertension typically have high blood pressure in any given setting. They may not necessarily experience high blood pressure in a medical setting, but tend to have increased readings generally.
Is White Coat Syndrome a Problem?
Because white coat syndrome means a patient has increased blood pressure in almost every medical encounter, their doctor may diagnose it as hypertension and prescribe medication for it. As a result, the patient may take antihypertensive medication unnecessarily.
Research also suggests that patients who struggle with white coat hypertension are at a higher risk of cardiovascular conditions than those whose blood pressure readings are typically normal in different settings.
Overcoming White Coat Syndrome
If you think you struggle with white coat hypertension, there are a number of ways you can try and ease the symptoms.
It’s best to measure your blood pressure readings prior to your appointment and note them down. Inform your doctor about these before they take new readings so that they can factor in the chances of white coat syndrome.
Practice self-relaxing techniques to curb your anxiety before a doctor’s appointment, so that your blood pressure doesn’t shoot dramatically during the encounter. Breathing exercises can help you stay calm. You can also recite a verse from your favorite song or a poem in your mind to distract yourself while you wait.
If this doesn’t work, give online doctor’s appointments a shot. This way, you won’t be in a medical setting and the change of environment can help you stay calm and relaxed during the appointment. For individuals who routinely experience increased blood pressure readings, this is highly recommended.
TelMDCare is a virtual healthcare platform that provides telemedicine services. Get in touch with the team today to book an online doctor’s appointment.
Disclaimer: The information shared in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be treated as medical advice. Please consult a healthcare specialist for your specific medical condition and treatment.
