Ace the 2026 H&P Exam 1 – Dive into History and Score Big!

White coat hypertension happens when blood pressure is elevated in the clinic due to anxiety or stress, but remains normal outside the office. So the pattern you’d expect is low or normal blood pressure at home (or in daily life) with elevated readings collected in the office. In numbers, office measurements may cross the hypertension threshold (around or above 140/90 mmHg) while home measurements stay below about 135/85 mmHg. This distinction matters because relying only on office readings can misclassify someone as hypertensive; confirming with home or ambulatory blood pressure monitoring helps avoid overcalling true hypertension.