High Blood Pressure – What Can I Do?

A client recently wrote to me to tell me that her husband, who’s blood pressure readings at home are normal, always gives a high blood pressure read at his doctor’s office.

While her husband said he doesn’t feel nervous about going to the doctor or visiting with his doctor, my client wondered what role stress was playing on her husbands’ blood pressure – even if on a subconcious level.

White Coat syndrome, or White Coat Hypertension is what describes this condition.

A person’s blood pressure may be raised in either a doctor’s office or even an office setting. However it reads normal at home. It may affect 10 to 20 percent of the adult population.

It can, however, be caused by medical staff taking an incorrect reading. For example, using a blood pressure cuff that is too small makes the blood pressure read high.

Does this condition pose a health risk? Yes. The risk, while higher than someone with an “all the time” lower blood pressure reading, it is lower than someone with chronic hypertension.

What is important is to know when one’s blood pressure is increasing and for how long each time this happens. If the only time one’s blood pressure goes up is the occasional doctor’s office visit and for only a few minutes, this probably isn’t an issue. If, however, one is experiencing this phenomena several times per day, it could lead to chronic high blood pressure.

Some people will mistakenly assume they are suffering from White Coat Syndrome, when in fact, they are not.

It is not particularly surprising that people would do this. Afterall, who wouldn’t prefer to have this condition over the more severe hypertension?

I strongly recommend you talk with your trusted health care professional to determine if you really do have White Coat Syndrome. I also highly recommend my all natural High Blood Pressure Program. The exercises are easy to perform and best of all – you don’t need to make an office appointment to do them:)