PREVALENCE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF WHITE C OAT HYPERTENSION IN THE ELDERLY

Prevalence and characteristics of white coat hypertension in the elder ly. In 50 elderly untreated hypertensive patients (70-94 years old, me an age 79 +/- 6 years, office blood pressure in the sitting position g reater-than-or-equal-to 160/95 mmHg) we performed ambulatory blood pre ssure monitoring (ABPM) with the Spacelabs 90207, ECG and echocardiogr aphy (determination of left ventricular mass). White coat hypertension was defined as mean daytime ambulatory blood pressure less-than-or-eq ual-to 146/87 mmHg, definite hypertension as >146/87 mmHg. Nine patien ts (18%) showed white coat hypertension, 28 patients (56%) definite hy pertension: 13 patients (26%) were classified as intermediate group. T here was no difference in age, gender, previous or concomitant disease s, and systolic or diastolic left ventricular function. Patients with white coat hypertension had a lower office and ambulatory blood pressu re, no ECG criterias of left ventricular hypertrophy and a lower left ventricular mass. The alerting reaction (white coat effect) was more p ronounced in white coat hypertension, whereas only patients with defin ite hypertension demonstrated a correlation between systolic office bl ood pressure and left ventricular mass. In conclusion, the prevalence of white coat hypertension is equal in elderly and younger hypertensiv e patients, and patients with white coat hypertension show less cardia c target organ damage compared to those with definite hypertension.