White coat hypertension is sometimes known as “white coat syndrome”. The term is used to describe people whose blood pressure is persistently high in the doctor’s clinic, but is normal at other times.
It can be detected by measuring the blood pressure over a period of 24 hours using a technique called ambulatory monitoring. This involves wearing a blood pressure monitor that can take readings while you are going about your normal daily activities, typically every 15 minutes.
People with white coat hypertension are not necessarily nervous or neurotic, and they may look and feel quite calm while in the doctor’s office. It is generally thought that they do not need to take medications for their blood pressure, and that they are at relatively low risk of heart disease and stroke.
It is, however, very important that they continue to have their blood pressure checked (by self-monitoring, for example) on a regular basis.
Source: A&D Instruments