I see so many posts about white coat especially young people like me (29) if you have doubts if u truly have BP..and wondering if you should take medication this early..then self diagnose as this..

1.Does your first reading always higher than your second by >6 to 10 pts systolic and >3 to 5 pts diastolic

2.Is the pulse pressure the difference between Systolic and diastolic higher than 50 when the readings are high

In the above case you may be experiencing a temporary rise in BP due to your body alerting a particular situation.like say somebody suddenly asked you to speak at a office get together..Your average BP may not be that bad at all.

But it is worth ruling it out with a dr wearing a holter monitor..White coat does not automatically mean you are cleared.

Think of a car going in a mountainous path with ups and down..think of a car going in a uphill road..think of a car going on a flat road with small grade variations..

You are in category I. So the risk factor here is how long ur heart remains in green zone..how long in Orange zone..and so on..

So I suggest keep monitoring ur BP for atleast 2 days in a month in Office..you could be in green zone in home..but you could be in orange zone in office..

3.If your BP remains sustained at high consecutive readings taken in 2 minute intervals then wait for a couple of hours for the stress hormones and anxiety to work out.Have your spouse take a reading while your asleep ..check the next day etc..If you have 3 high consecutive readings at 2 minute intervals for 2 consecutive days then you need to work with ur dr and take medicines.

Your heart is designed to take more pressure in systolic for short bursts of time but it is the diastolic that hinders with the resting ability of the heart. So I would be more careful with the diastolic numbers..

Again IM not a DR but thatz my reading on White coat..

<b>If you are already on medication.Do not stop without your dr's consent.It is always better to rule hyepertension out with a DR's opinion</b>

[This message has been edited by sunkarthik (edited 10-20-2003).]

sunkarthik,

Thank you.
That was very insightful.

Let me just add that the systolic is becoming more and more important a factor as people age. I've heard one "nutrition guru" (Gary Null) speak of the difference between systolic and diastolic as a measure of "arterial stiffness." This is claimed to be the most damaging aspect of HBP.

My reading at the doc can be as high as 170/90...

When I take it myself my 1st reading is usually 134/78 or so.

2nd Reading 10 minutes later is around 121/71 or so.

White-Coat

hi... i was wondering how you do self diagnosis for blood pressure? please help. thanks... angela

One thing that has been drummed into me by friends in the medical profession is that you should never self-diagnose. That's what the doctors are for. Even more dangerous, you should never ever self medicate!

BP varies throughout the day, peaking at around 11am to 2pm from what I've gathered. It should be at its lowest when you first wake up, and just before you go to bed (assuming you're feeling sleepy and ready for bed, and not acting hyperactively of course http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif)

If the doctor suspects white coat hypertension, they would probably request for you to wear a portable monitor which records your BP throughout the day which can then be analysed by the doctor on your next visit. I've not had this done, so I can't tell you in detail what you need to do with this device - your doctor is the best person to advise you on this...

ang,

Borrow somebody's blood pressure tester- make sure he tells you how to use it if you're unsure. Sit quietly in a comfortable chair for 10 minutes and then test an arm. Ignore the numbers. Test the other arm and then write down that pair of numbers. Wait 10 more minutes and test the first arm again. Average the last two readings.
Something like: 140/90 and 120/80 average out to 130/85!

If the average is above either 140 for the high number or 90 for the lower number, retest the next day. If the same, mention it to your doctor on your next visit.

If the top number is over 160 or the bottom over 100 on each of two consecutive days, call your MD for an appointment.