What is white coat hypertension? White coat hypertension is a common phenomenon in which a portion of people with normal blood pressure, or a portion of people with hypertension, always have abnormally high blood pressure values measured in a hospital or physical examination or always have higher blood pressure values than those measured by themselves at home. This is because some people subconsciously become nervous and anxious when they are in a hospital setting or see medical staff in white coats, resulting in a momentary increase in blood pressure, also known as clinic hypertension. What are the dangers of white coat hypertension? Some people believe that white coat hypertension is a transient pseudohypertension, which is not a true hypertensive disease and therefore does not require medication. However, it is also suggested that white coat hypertension is the result of mood swings, and the mood of such people is easily affected by the environment, often in tension and anxiety, so in various adverse environments outside the hospital, there may also be recurrent transient hypertension, so the chances of developing hypertensive disease in the future are significantly higher than others. Although it is a kind of “pseudo” hypertension, it is likely to develop into true hypertension as time passes and age increases. What should I look for? Usually, people with white coat hypertension have their blood pressure measured in the hospital 10-20 mmHg higher than their own blood pressure, and the increased blood pressure may have reached the diagnostic criteria for hypertension. This avoids the influence of environmental stimuli that can cause an increase in blood pressure on the measured value, and also provides a comprehensive record of the true blood pressure over multiple time periods, which is important for identifying white coat hypertension from true hypertension, and for assessing the chance of elevated blood pressure. If you are diagnosed with white coat hypertension, you should make life and psychological adjustments, in addition to regular blood pressure monitoring at the hospital to ensure timely treatment and proper use of hypertension medications.