BLOOD PRESSURE VARIATION IN CHILDREN AT 5 MINUTE INTERVAL FOR IDENTIFICATION OF WHITE COAT HYPERTENSION

Abstract

White-coat hypertension is a condition when a person’s blood pressure tends to increase only when they are at the doctor's office. In children, blood pressure between the 90^th and 95^th percentile is labelled as pre-hypertension and above the 95^thcentile it is classified as hypertension. The difference between 90^th and 95^th centiles for both systolic and diastolic blood pressure is only 4 mm of Hg.

Methods: Children between ages 5 to 10 years admitted in the children ward of Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital, Muzaffarpur, Bihar, India from February to April 2020 included in the study. We record blood pressure by oscillometer 4 times a day, over 4 days of hospital stay and each time two readings were taken at 5 minute intervals.

Results: During 4 days of hospital stay blood pressure varied widely. In addition  second reading of BP were always less than the first reading BP,  but second readings data also varied widely just as first readings.

Conclusion: White coat’ hypertension is the phenomenon where BP is exaggerated by act of measuring BP. This is initiated by anxiety. Children are particularly susceptible and distressed by the circumstances of hospitalization, stranger anxiety and fear to painful intervention. We should take multiple readings before reach a conclusion of hypertension.                 

Key words: Blood pressure, White-coat Hypertension, Ambulatory BP, Hypertension