What Is White Coat Syndrome?
2. White Coat Syndrome
Seeing a doctor can be a disconcerting occasion for some people. Some will feel uncomfortable with being told about their medical condition. This can cause the patient’s blood pressure to rise beyond levels it will usually be at. This phenomenon is known as white coat syndrome, due to the tendency of doctors and other medical staff to wear white coats.
White coat syndrome is thought to be fairly common; it is estimated that up to around 30% of high blood pressure readings are down to the phenomenon. While it is not a dangerous condition in itself, it could still be a precursor to the patient developing high blood pressure in other settings as well.
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