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Comment by inglor_cz | Hacker News Reader

Also, some people have so-called White coat hypertension. Basically, a medical appointment stresses them enough that they present with HBP even though they are, in fact, healthy.

To mitigate this, frequent measurements at home or at work should be taken. Those give you much more information about your status.

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But isn’t it very common to account for the white coat syndrome?

I was recently diagnosed with HBP and the process went like this: - doctor took the measurement, was very high

- asked me to measure at home, call if it was still high (it was, but much lower)

- invited me over, I got a blood pressure monitor for 24h. That showed a borderline 130/85) higher BP. For comparison, he was reading 160/100 at his office..

This is just to illustrate that doctors should know about the white coat syndrome and shouldn’t diagnose you based on readings in their office only.

Competent and caring doctors know about it and mind it, yes. Finding those that do have free patient slots is quite a quest, though. Especially outside large urban centers.

You will always find a great cardiologist or dentist in Prague. Ostrava is already much more challenging and Bruntál means playing it on hard mode :)

Yes, I confirm that. I was always found to be hypertensive when I had my blood pressure taken by a nurse, but when I took it myself it was usually only a bit elevated (between 120-135) or normal (between 110-120). As a result I was diagnosed with white coat hypertension.

Same, then after my systolic climbed to to 180-200 they got around to diagnosing me with kidney disease. I ended up with permanent vision and kidney damage because other than that, I was an apparently healthy young person.

Even mild hypertension can be a serious indicator of potentially life threatening, or at least altering, issues. If you measure high at the doctor, measure yourself at home and keep a log.

What was the underlying issue?

A congenital autoimmune disorder that led to renal hypertension in my late teens. This is my first year in remission.

Sorry to hear that. Yes, I'm keeping a log, and so far all is well. I went from 164/83 in late June, when I started taking measurements, to 114/59 last week, without making any dietary or lifestyle changes. I'm quite convinced it was all psychological.

And many nurses don't know how to take it. Half the time they turn the automated machine up to 200. It takes so long to pump up and then vent down that my arm will get tingley and I can feel my blood pulse get stronger.

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