The document reinforces the importance of health professionals taking into account white coat hypertension (WCH), defined as high blood pressure values during medical consultations, but normal values outside the office. It is common for patients to have an increase in blood pressure levels due to the tension that the presence of the doctor and the environment can cause, which is why many recommend checking it at home before confirming the diagnosis of hypertension.
In addition, the SBC also intends to increase the diagnosis of those with masked hypertension, that is, people who, although they do not present high blood pressure levels during medical or outpatient consultations, have the disease.
Therefore, according to the SBC, healthcare professionals should consider both 24-hour ambulatory monitoring (ABPM) and home blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) to assess blood pressure in environments far from healthcare professionals.
With the new guidelines, the SBC intends to raise awareness among health professionals, who must continue measuring patients’ blood pressure, to recommend more measurements (two to three in a row, with one-minute intervals between them) and at different times, such as in the morning and at night, as blood pressure can vary during the day.
Insidious disease
Geriatrician Alberto de Macedo Soares, professor of geriatrics at FCMS (Faculty of Medical Sciences of Santos), said in an interview with Portal Drauzio:
“Hypertension is a really treacherous disease. Anyone who thinks it causes headaches, dizziness, ringing in the ears, nosebleeds or lets you see little stars during the day is completely mistaken.”
