Blood pressure readings at home are more accurate than readings taken at a doctor’s office when it comes to predicting heart disease. This means that if a doctor only relies in the office readings, many people could be incorrectly treated for mild high blood pressure.
Although doctors have known for almost 50 years of practice that trip to physician or the hospital can cause an inflated blood pressure reading often called white coat hypertension, doctors did not know if these people were at high risk for heart disease than people with normal readings.
Higher office readings are labeled white coat hypertension because the pressure sometimes rises when people feel stressed by a visit to the doctor. According to some studies that 10 to 20 percent of all people with mild hypertension may suffer from white coat hypertension.
However, people with white coat hypertension did not have the heart damage associated with high blood pressure, an enlarged heart and reduced heart function. Continue reading ‘Things You Should Know Before Treating High Blood Pressure’ »