Blood Pressure Measurement and Treatment Decisions

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Hypertension Research
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• White-coat hypertension and masked hypertension are distinct blood pressure phenotypes.
• Accurate diagnosis and monitoring rely on out-of-office blood pressure measurements.
• Understanding these phenotypes is crucial for cardiovascular risk assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the literature on detection, diagnosis, prevalence, epidemiology, prognosis, and treatment of white-coat and masked hypertension.
• To synthesize current knowledge on the clinical implications of these hypertension types.
• To identify gaps in evidence for treatment recommendations.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review of studies on white-coat and masked hypertension.
• Analysis of data concerning diagnosis, prevalence, epidemiology, and prognosis.
• Evaluation of existing treatment strategies and evidence.

Main Results:

• Cardiovascular risk in white-coat hypertension is influenced by coexisting risk factors.
• Masked hypertension is associated with a higher risk of target organ damage and cardiovascular events.
• Current data are insufficient to guide antihypertensive treatment for these phenotypes.

Conclusions:

• Out-of-office blood pressure measurement is vital for identifying white-coat and masked hypertension.
• Masked hypertension poses a significant cardiovascular risk.
• Further research is needed to establish evidence-based treatment guidelines.