[Clinical characteristics of the white coat hypertension].

BACKGROUND

White coat hypertension (WCH) is a relatively prevalent clinical situation (around 20% of the hypertense population). The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical characteristics of these patients.

METHODS

A descriptive transversal study was carried out in general medicine consultations in a unrandomized sample of hypertensive patients receiving pharmacologic treatment. Twenty-four hour ambulatory blood pressure monitorization (ABPM) (SpaceLabs 90202-90207) was performed following three resting blood pressure (BP) determinations carried out during the visit at 5-minute intervals by mercury sphigmomanometer. WCH was defined as: BP during the consultation > 140 mmHg (systolic) or > 90 mmHg (diastolic) with a mean daily blood pressure by ABPM < 140/< 90 mmHg.

RESULTS

One hundred sixty-four patients (53% males) with a mean age of 48 years (SD 15.8) and a mean time of high blood pressure of 36 months (SD 51.4) were studied. Seventy-one patients (43%) fulfilled WCH criteria. WCH was significantly associated with females (p < 0.01), hypercholesterolemia (p < 0.05), lower involvement of target organs (p < 0.05), greater nocturnal tolerance to ABPM (p < 0.05) and lower mean nocturnal blood pressure (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of white coat hypertension is elevated. Most of these patients are females, have fewer target organ lesions that the remaining hypertensive patients although dyslipemia is more frequently observed in these cases.