White coat hypertension is the high blood pressure measured in a hospital or a surgery; outside the clinic it is normal.
White coat hypertension is diagnosed only in specially created for the measurement conditions such as a clinical or medical environment; outside the clinical environment blood pressure becomes normal.

People who suffer from this kind of hypertension have blood pressure 140/90mmHg or above. Sometimes the blood pressure is not diagnosed properly and they are prescribed unnecessary treatment.

Blood pressure can raise and lower during the day and night. White coat hypertension is caused by anxiety, pain, physical exercises and anger. These factors lead to the blood pressure being increased. When people are nervous, their blood pressure increases to 30mmHg on the systolic (top) number.  When people sleep or rest, their blood pressure reduces.

The symptoms of white coat hypertension are not discovered. Such kind of hypertension is diagnosed when your blood pressure is measured outside the clinical environment. You should measure your blood pressure at home or with a test called Ambulatory Blood Pressure Measurement (ABPM) which is 24-hour monitoring of the blood pressure.

The blood pressure which is 135/85mmHg or less is normal. An automatic or a semi-automatic blood pressure machine can be bought or borrowed for two weeks. The patient should measure his blood pressure at definite times of the day.  The measure is checked at home with an automatic or a semi-automatic blood pressure machine borrowed from a hospital. The procedure is done at the same time every day.

If you have white coat hypertension, you should measure your blood pressure regularly – at least once a year to prevent its rising. Smoking or high cholesterol quickens the development of high blood pressure.

To lessen the development of high blood pressure patients should keep to a diet low in fat and salt with a large content of fruit and vegetables, they should reduce the amount of alcohol consumed and increase physical activity.

White coat hypertension is rare. If your blood pressure raises to 160/99mmHg, you may have white coat hypertension.

People who have white coat hypertension are more prone to heart illness or stroke than those who suffer from high blood pressure. When your blood pressure increases, it should be lowered immediately. People, who have white coat hypertension, usually have high blood pressure in the future. Smoking or high cholesterol can fasten the process.