[White-coat hypertension].

White-coat hypertension (WCH) is defined by hypertensive blood pressure in the office with a normal blood pressure obtained by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) or home blood pressure (HBP) measurement in other situation. WCH occurs in 15-30% of untreated individuals with an elevated office blood pressure, and the incidence is especially high in the elderly people. The prognosis of WCH is recognized to be intermediate between normotension and sustained hypertension.

We should carefully follow up WCH subjects because they have the risk of progressing to sustained hypertension and onset of cardiovascular events. Metabolic disorder would increase the cardiovascular risk of WCH.