JOIN USOf the many lifestyle diseases prevalent today, the most common one is hypertension or high blood pressure. While most of us know that it is important to get your BP checked regularly, that may not be enough to diagnose hypertension. Often people may see a sudden spike in their blood pressure because of the fear of visiting a doctor. They may otherwise be healthy individuals. This condition is called white coat hypertension.
The primary symptom of white coat hypertension is an unreliable blood pressure reading that is captured through traditional monitoring methods. White coat and masked hypertension can be diagnosed through the 24-hour BP monitoring technique called Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM).
Hypertension can be the result of many factors like age, obesity, tobacco use, little or no physical activity, stress, heavy alcohol use and poor diet. Following are some tips that can help control high blood pressure:
* Increase the intake of fresh fruits, vegetables, olive oil and omega-3 foods
* Consume sprouted or 100% whole grains
* Try to lower your sodium intake
As there are no obvious signs of masked hypertension, it is always good to let your doctor know if you have a family history of high blood pressure.
(The author is cardiologist, Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research)