"White coat hypertension" in type 2 diabetic patients

Introduction. “White coat hypertension” is a phenomenon in which patients exhibit elevated blood pressure in clinical setting, but not recorded by themselves at home. Objectives. The aim of this study was to evaluate frequency of “white coat hypertension” in type 2 diabetic patients, in which high blood pressure values in clinical setting were observed for the first time. Patients and methods. The study comprised 52 type 2 diabetic patients with newly diagnosed high blood pressure values in measurements with the use of mercurial sphygmomanometer during ambulatory visit (mean “office blood pressure” values ≥140/90 mmHg). In all patients ambulatory blood pressure measurements (ABPM) were conducted. “White coat hypertension” was detected when the mean blood pressure value in ABPM during the day was <135/85 mmHg and the mean “office blood pressure” was ≥140/90 mmHg. Arterial hypertension was detected when the mean “office blood pressure” values were ≥140/90 mmHg and the mean blood pressure value in ABPM during the day were ≥135/85 mmHg. Results. In forty-four percent of the studied patients “white coat hypertension” was diagnosed (group 1). Group 2 consisted of patients with arterial hypertension (56% of all studied patients). Blood pressure values estimated on the ambulatory basis with the use of ABPM were lower in group 1 than in group 2 (p <0.05). There were no differences between the study groups in blood pressure values estimated by traditional method with the use of mercurial sphygmomanometer during clinic visit (p >0.05). Conclusions. In above 2/5 of type 2 diabetic patients with newly detected high blood pressure during clinic visits, “white coat hypertension” was diagnosed.