White coat hypertension occurs when your blood pressure readings taken at your doctor's office are higher than they are in other settings. The term white coat syndrome was coined from this increase in blood pressure that some people encounter when visiting their doctor.  It's called white coat hypertension after the white coats health care professionals who measure your blood pressure may wear.

It was once assumed that white coat hypertension was caused by the stress that doctor's appointments can create. However, some doctors believe that white coat hypertension may signal that you're at risk of developing high blood pressure as a long-term condition. According to the Mayo Clinic, blood pressure is determined both by the amount of blood your heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in your arteries. The more blood your heart pumps and the narrower your arteries, the higher your blood pressure. Uncontrolled high blood pressure may increase your risk of serious health problems, including heart attack and stroke over time.

 If you experience white coat hypertension, you may also be at a higher risk of developing certain cardiovascular problems compared with people who have normal blood pressure at all times. Even these temporary increases in your blood pressure caused by a doctor’s office visit could develop into a long-term problem.

If you believe you may have white coat hypertension, talk to your doctor about how you can monitor your blood pressure at home. This can help determine if your high blood pressure only occurs in the doctor's office or if it's a persistent condition that needs additional treatment. If you don't regularly visit a doctor you can find machines in some retail stores that will measure your blood pressure for free.