Sequential follow-up clinic and ambulatory blood pressure evaluation in a low risk population of white-coat hypertensive patients and in normotensives.

Background In subjects with white-coat hypertension (WCH) it is unclear how ambulatory blood pressure (ABPM) progresses over time and whether they exhibit an increased cardiovascular risk. Methods We prospectively evaluated the transition of clinic and ABPM values in 39 clinic and ABPM normotensive subjects (NT) (clinic BP 140/90, awake ABP 130 and/or >85 mmHg) occurred in 15.4% (6/39) of NT, in 22.7% (8/36) of WCH-tr and in 26.1% (11/43) of WCH-untr (NS). First cardiovascular events recorded were three in subjects with WCH and none in NT. Conclusions After 7.4 years of follow-up, both the progressive increase in ABPM and the rate of transition to ambulatory hypertension in subjects with WCH (either treated or untreated), who were selected under strict criteria were similar to that of normotensive subjects. Also there was no evidence that WCH exhibited a clear higher risk of development cardiovascular events.