What is White Coat Syndrome? Doctor explains how to manage symptoms

Some people might experience elevated blood pressure or stress in hospital settings, or when they see the white coat worn by doctors and other medical personnel. White Coat Syndrome, or white coat hypertension, is a condition where one feels stressed, anxious and shows high BP levels only in hospitals, but remains normal at home or other places. The condition got its name from the white coat that medical personnel, including doctors and nurses, wear in the hospital.

But some people might experience this syndrome even if they do not see the white coat. BP patients who take medication might have normal blood pressure readings at home but show elevated levels on a test done at a hospital. It is dangerous to take an overdose of medicines just by seeing the high blood pressure readings taken at the hospital. This might even lead to hypotension when the blood pressure level drops drastically. 

Managing the stress
White Coat Syndrome acts differently in each person. Doctors often suggest various relaxation techniques to calm down the patient. If the blood pressure reading taken at the hospital is high, the patient will be asked to rest and relax for a while before another reading is taken. Doctors and nurses try different tips to help the patients relax in such situations. The patients are instructed to check their blood pressure levels at home on their own or with the help of others. Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring is a method of continuously measuring blood pressure throughout the day using a small, portable device. 

Caution is advised
It wouldn’t be wise to think that all high blood pressure readings shown at the hospital would be because of White Coat Syndrome. There are facilities at the hospital to confirm whether the patient actually has high blood pressure or just elevated BP levels. If there is something wrong with the BP readings, do not hesitate to take medication as advised by a physician.