What Is White Coat Syndrome?

What Is White Coat Syndrome?

What Cause White Coat Syndrome?

Similar to my world, my girlfriend is not a morning person. So, it did not surprise me to watch her race into our local coffee shop this morning and quickly chirps, ” I am sorry I am late.”

I promptly reply, no worry, I understand.

We both understand each other so well; I guess that is how we became fast friends. It is 11:00 a.m. and we both consider this morning hour.

As we sit across from each other with our beverages by our side, the conversation zig zags through an array of topics.

My thin, fit looking, girlfriend, tells me about her constant craving for sweets. She then turns the conversation to Nutrition and Health. 

My friend goes on to ask me if I believe Nutrition and Autoimmune Disease are interlinked.

I smile and then go into a lengthy ramble about my consultation with a Nutritionist a couple of days ago. I answer with a firm, yes, I believe nutrition plays a sufficient role in our health. However, even with terrific nutritional habits sometimes you are given the eight ball of genetics.

I go on to offer my girlfriend some of the insightful tips I learned from the Nutritionist:

  • Celtic Sea Salt is best the darker the gray
  • Raw Milk from grass feed cows
  • Cheese from grass feed cows
  • No Aluminum Foil
  • Eat breakfast before coffee
  • Protein for lunch
  • Try not to nibble and eat every 3 to 4 hours
  • My dislike for peanuts is most likely from the mold that surrounds many peanuts. I am very allergic to mold.
  • Try to limit my bread intake- I Love Bread.

I see my girlfriend smiling, and her head slowly nods as I spill the nutritional knowledge that I have retained from the nutritionist.

Are you going to see her again, she asks me?

Oh, we Skype and no I do not think so.

She grins and I know she knows why.

I let out a small laugh as I convey I have White Coat Syndrome.

Yup, I get it, she says.

We both commiserate about the lifestyle and expense from going to one ogolist to the next.

So many of both our days consist of doctor visits, lab tests, and treatment plans.

The thought of spending my good hours with a Nutritionist does not feel like fun, and it seems like I have added another White Coat to my list.

After our White Coat Syndrome conversation depletes we switch over to the next topics; needed home repairs, carpools, people who do not understand us, and then it is time to say, see you later.

When I arrive home, the definition of  What Is White Coat Syndrome still lingers in my mind. I wonder if my Pharmacist is part of my White Coat Syndrome?

I know my kind, caring, soft spoken Pharmacist wears a white jacket/ coat, but I still dread my bi-weekly pick-ups at the pharmacy.

I turn to Google Search and type in, What Is White Coat Syndrome?

Google returns dozens of pages about, “What Is White Coat Syndrome?”

I read tens of articles about the cause and effect of White Coat Syndrome.

I find Wikipedia to have the clearest and concise definition of White Coat Syndrome a.k.a. White Coat Hypertension.

White Coat Syndrome occurs when a patient exhibits a higher blood pressure in a clinical setting.

The patient normal would not have higher blood pressure in other environments.

What Causes White Coat Syndrome?

The phenomenon of White Coast Syndrome is due to the anxiety that afflicts the patient during a clinic visit.

What Is Masked Hypertension; What Causes Masked Hypertension

Senior Healthy Living Editor, Anna Almendrala of The Huffington Post wrote an information article about the dangers of Masked Hypertension.

When Does Masked Hypertension Occur?

Masked Hypertension occurs when patient reactions the opposite to White Coat Syndrome. The patient may have stressful circumstances or unhealthy behaviors at home that causes blood pressure to spike.

When the patient is out of their normal environment and at a stress-free doctor’s office, their blood pressure may appear normal.

If a patient’s blood pressure is only normal in a clinical environment, this is called “masked hypertension,”.

Masked Hypertension is dangerous because doctors are not able to receive an accurate picture of how high a patient’s blood pressure is outside of a clinical setting.

Do I Have White Coat Syndrome?

After reading articles about White Coat Syndrome and Masked Hypertension, I was incorrect about the actual definition of White Coat Syndrome.

There have been dozens of times when I was anxious before or during a doctor’s appointment. However, even with my anxiety, and frustration, I have always had low blood pressure.

I know I do not have Masked Hypertension because my blood pressure is low at home.

So, I do not have White Coat Syndrome; I am just spent from seeing such a large number of White Coats.

I would like to conclude that I appreciate all the time, wisdom and caring so many white coats have shown me, thank you.

 

Resources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_coat_hypertension

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/expert-answers/white-coat-hypertension/faq-20057792

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/white-coat-syndrome-blood-pressure-hypertension_us_5641204ee4b0411d3072366e

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