Prevalence of white coat hypertension (WCH) among individuals with elevated clinic blood pressure: A feasibility study
Background White coat hypertension (WCH) is characterized by elevated clinic blood pressure (BP) measurements and normal out-of-clinic readings. Once considered benign, emerging evidence suggests WCH is associated with increased cardiovascular risk and mortality. Methods This feasibility study was c...
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SAGE Publishing
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Proceedings of Singapore Healthcare |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/20101058251350732 |
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| author | Jing Yi Lim Prawira Oka Lynette Ong Jannathnisha Binte Mohideen Pitchay Wei Ling Ng |
| author_facet | Jing Yi Lim Prawira Oka Lynette Ong Jannathnisha Binte Mohideen Pitchay Wei Ling Ng |
| author_sort | Jing Yi Lim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background White coat hypertension (WCH) is characterized by elevated clinic blood pressure (BP) measurements and normal out-of-clinic readings. Once considered benign, emerging evidence suggests WCH is associated with increased cardiovascular risk and mortality. Methods This feasibility study was conducted at a primary care clinic in Singapore between November 2019 and October 2023. Individuals with elevated clinic BP were recruited through convenience sampling. Data was collected across two visits via an interviewer-administered questionnaire and a weeklong self-measured BP monitoring program. Home BP readings were interpreted utilizing three methods: (1) average of all readings, (2) 2018 ESH/ESC guidelines, and (3) clinician “eyeball method”. WCH was diagnosed in individuals with elevated clinic BP readings and normal home BP readings. Results Sixty individuals were recruited, with a mean age of 61.8 ± 9.6 years, most were Chinese (90%) and married (63%). Nearly half the participants had hyperlipidemia with 56.7% overweight or obese. WCH was diagnosed in 23.3% of participants, while 35% were newly diagnosed with hypertension. None of the individuals with WCH reported significant anxiety as assessed using the GAD-7 scale. The clinician “eyeball method” resulted in five more individuals being diagnosed with hypertension compared to the 2018 ESH/ESC method. Conclusion Over half of individuals with elevated clinic BP had WCH or undiagnosed hypertension. Primary care physicians should promote home BP self-monitoring and adopt standardized guideline-based methods for home BP interpretation. Future research should explore practical strategies to assimilate guidelines to real-world practice, improving diagnostic accuracy and treatment. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bcc3b747bede48029b23810d1a7ac1d3 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2059-2329 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
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| series | Proceedings of Singapore Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj-art-bcc3b747bede48029b23810d1a7ac1d32025-08-20T03:11:07ZengSAGE PublishingProceedings of Singapore Healthcare2059-23292025-06-013410.1177/20101058251350732Prevalence of white coat hypertension (WCH) among individuals with elevated clinic blood pressure: A feasibility studyJing Yi LimPrawira OkaLynette OngJannathnisha Binte Mohideen PitchayWei Ling NgBackground White coat hypertension (WCH) is characterized by elevated clinic blood pressure (BP) measurements and normal out-of-clinic readings. Once considered benign, emerging evidence suggests WCH is associated with increased cardiovascular risk and mortality. Methods This feasibility study was conducted at a primary care clinic in Singapore between November 2019 and October 2023. Individuals with elevated clinic BP were recruited through convenience sampling. Data was collected across two visits via an interviewer-administered questionnaire and a weeklong self-measured BP monitoring program. Home BP readings were interpreted utilizing three methods: (1) average of all readings, (2) 2018 ESH/ESC guidelines, and (3) clinician “eyeball method”. WCH was diagnosed in individuals with elevated clinic BP readings and normal home BP readings. Results Sixty individuals were recruited, with a mean age of 61.8 ± 9.6 years, most were Chinese (90%) and married (63%). Nearly half the participants had hyperlipidemia with 56.7% overweight or obese. WCH was diagnosed in 23.3% of participants, while 35% were newly diagnosed with hypertension. None of the individuals with WCH reported significant anxiety as assessed using the GAD-7 scale. The clinician “eyeball method” resulted in five more individuals being diagnosed with hypertension compared to the 2018 ESH/ESC method. Conclusion Over half of individuals with elevated clinic BP had WCH or undiagnosed hypertension. Primary care physicians should promote home BP self-monitoring and adopt standardized guideline-based methods for home BP interpretation. Future research should explore practical strategies to assimilate guidelines to real-world practice, improving diagnostic accuracy and treatment.https://doi.org/10.1177/20101058251350732 |
| spellingShingle | Jing Yi Lim Prawira Oka Lynette Ong Jannathnisha Binte Mohideen Pitchay Wei Ling Ng Prevalence of white coat hypertension (WCH) among individuals with elevated clinic blood pressure: A feasibility study Proceedings of Singapore Healthcare |
| title | Prevalence of white coat hypertension (WCH) among individuals with elevated clinic blood pressure: A feasibility study |
| title_full | Prevalence of white coat hypertension (WCH) among individuals with elevated clinic blood pressure: A feasibility study |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence of white coat hypertension (WCH) among individuals with elevated clinic blood pressure: A feasibility study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence of white coat hypertension (WCH) among individuals with elevated clinic blood pressure: A feasibility study |
| title_short | Prevalence of white coat hypertension (WCH) among individuals with elevated clinic blood pressure: A feasibility study |
| title_sort | prevalence of white coat hypertension wch among individuals with elevated clinic blood pressure a feasibility study |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/20101058251350732 |
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