To the Editor: In their article, Head and colleagues stated that “white coat hypertension carries minimal actual CVD [cardiovascular disease] risk”.1 However, a failure to identify white coat hypertension, and to misdiagnose it as true hypertension, can lead to inappropriate prescription of antihypertensive medications, with associated financial costs and adverse effects such as falls and acute kidney injury, which are unrelated to CVD risk.
The full article is accessible to AMA members and paid subscribers. Login to read more or purchase a subscription now.
Please note: institutional and Research4Life access to the MJA is now provided through Wiley Online Library.
- 1. Head GA, McGrath BP, Nelson MR, Stowasser M. Importance of ambulatory blood pressure in hypertension management. Med J Aust 2012; 197: 143-144. <MJA full text>
- 2. Kamaruzzaman S, Watt H, Carson C, Ebrahim S. The association between orthostatic hypotension and medication use in the British Women's Heart and Health Study. Age Ageing 2010; 39: 51-56.
- 3. Ali K, Ormerod E, Rajkumar C. Hyper- or hypotension in an older population: where do clinicians stand? Age Ageing 2010; 39: 4-5.
- 4. Choulerton J, Mudd P, MacMahon M. Withdrawing antihypertensives on the basis of orthostatic hypotension. Age Ageing 2010; 39: 518.
- 5. Kohli HS, Bhaskaran MC, Muthukumar T, et al. Treatment-related acute renal failure in the elderly: a hospital-based prospective study. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2000; 15: 212-217.
No relevant disclosures.