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Prevalence of white coat hypertension in primary health care

Leila Maria Marchi Alves1, Maria Suely Nogueira, Simone de Godoy

  • 1Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil. lmarchi@eerp.usp.br

Arquivos Brasileiros De Cardiologia
|September 5, 2007
PubMed

Insights

White coat hypertension affects 34.1% of individuals in Dumont, São Paulo. This condition, characterized by elevated blood pressure in clinical settings, shows distinct physiological and metabolic changes compared to normotensive and essential hypertensive individuals.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Public Health
  • Clinical Hypertension

Background:

  • White coat hypertension (WCH) is a phenomenon where blood pressure is elevated in a clinical setting but normal in ambulatory or home readings.
  • Understanding the prevalence and characteristics of WCH is crucial for accurate diagnosis and management of hypertension.
  • The municipality of Dumont in São Paulo State serves as the study area for this investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of white coat hypertension (WCH) within the population of Dumont, São Paulo State.
  • To characterize the demographic, physiological, and metabolic profiles of individuals with WCH.
  • To compare these characteristics with those of normotensive and essential hypertensive individuals.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 109 participants from the Municipal Health Service in Dumont was selected.
  • Participants were categorized into normotension, essential hypertension, and WCH groups based on blood pressure monitoring.
  • Data collection involved interviews, measurements, and laboratory exams, with statistical analysis using ANOVA and Tukey tests.

Main Results:

  • The prevalence of white coat hypertension (WCH) was found to be 34.1%.
  • Females predominated in the WCH group, with a mean age of 45.3 years.
  • Individuals with WCH exhibited increased body mass index, waist/hip ratio, plasma glucose, and creatinine levels compared to other groups.

Conclusions:

  • White coat hypertension (WCH) presents with distinct clinical and biochemical variations compared to normotension and essential hypertension.
  • These findings underscore the importance of differentiating WCH from sustained hypertension for appropriate patient management.
  • Further investigation into WCH is warranted, considering its unique characteristics in both normotensive and hypertensive individuals.
Abstract

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