White coat hypertension in Zimbabwean African women

Background: The prevalence of white coat hypertension in the Zimbabwean Afr ican female population has not been well defined. Objective: To determine the prevalence of white coat hypertension and to co mpare the cardiovascular risk profiles of those with white coat hypertensio n to those with sustained hypertension, Design: A cross-sectional study, Setting: Out patient department of Parirenyatwa Medical School Teaching Hos pital, Harare, Zimbabwe, Subjects: Females with an average blood pressure of 140-160/90-105 mmHg, interventions: Females with an average blood pressure of 140-160/90-105 mmH g wore 24hour ambulatory blood pressure monitors (ABPM), Subjects with >20m mHg systolic or >10mmHg diastolic difference between the average out-patien t blood pressure and the average awake blood pressure from the ABPM were la belled as white coat hypertensives. Results: The prevalence of white coat hypertension was 38 % and the average number of risk factors per patient for the white coat group was 2.9. This result was similar to that for the sustained hypertensive group which had a n average of 3.1 risk factors per patient, Conclusion: White coat hypertension may be a common finding in black hypert ensive Zinbabwean females who have out patient blood pressure measurements of 140-160/90-105 mmHg, The cardiovascular risk profile of these white coat hypertensives was found to be very similar to that of sustained hypertensi ves.