Everything was always fine at the family doctor? Blood pressure as always exemplary? Unfortunately, appearances are occasionally deceptive. One form of high blood pressure feared by physicians is masked hypertension. In this article you will learn what you should know about masked hypertension!
Masked describes that normal blood pressure values are measured at Praxis by trained personnel. It is only at home, at work and in everyday life that the blood pressure is then high. Why is that? Not everyone finds the doctor's office visit exciting. In fact, it can even be the calmer part of a patient's life, providing peace of mind and a sense of security.
Masked hypertension: white coat syndrome and practice blood pressure.
For most people, it's the other way around. At Praxis , people are tense, perhaps even worried, and their blood pressure goes up. This is also fondly called white coat syndrome. Fortunately, the prognosis for white coat hypertension is good; there is no increased risk of heart attack or stroke. After all, you don't spend that much time at Praxis.
Unfortunately, this is not the case with masked hypertension. The risk is significantly increased and is similar to that of patients with "normal" hypertension. This is certainly due to the fact that patients are often unaware of their risk for a very long time and no measures are taken to reduce the risk. No treatment is given for too long.
Masked hypertension: who is affected?
Men are affected more often than women and it is mainly younger patients. Stress plays a frequent role here, probably also an unhealthy lifestyle (smoking, lots of overtime, little exercise). These conditions are not problematic in the short term, but are actually a danger in the long term.
What can we do better? How to recognize masked hypertension?
From the age of 35, everyone should actually measure their blood pressure at home. Somebody related or known surely has a device. If there are frequent values above 135/85mmHg, a consultation with a doctor should be made. Another characteristic is that the blood pressure does not go down at night. A long-term blood pressure measurement often helps here.
Hypertension: It is important to measure correctly!
In the morning before the day begins and in the evening when it ends. Put on the device correctly and calm down for 5 minutes, then measure 2x. It is also important to write down the values somewhere, the data will definitely help us in the Praxis !
Not every form has to be treated with medication right away, often simple measures (sports, weight reduction, diet, stress reduction, etc.) can achieve a good regulation and prevent a lot of mischief! We will be happy to advise you.
