Original Article BODY WEIGHT AND WHITE COAT HYPERTENSION

Objective: To understand prognostic significance of white coat hypertension (WCH), and any its association with excess weight. Methodology: We studied consecutive check up patients between the ages of 35 and 70 years to be able to see possible consequences of excess weight on health and to avoid debility induced weight loss in elderly people. Results: The study included 721 cases (426 females). Prevalences of normal weight, overweight, and obesity were detected as 19.0%, 43.3%, and 37.5%, respectively. There were gradual and significant increases in the prevalences of WCH and hypertension (HT) towards the overweight and obesity groups (p<0.001 for all). So 73.7 % of the obesity cases had either WCH or HT, and overall prevalence of WCH was 37.9%, which was nearly equal to the prevalence of obesity. When we compared the groups according to the prevalences of hyperbetalipoproteinemia, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus (DM), and coronary heart disease (CHD), gradual and significant increases towards the overweight and obesity groups were seen nearly in all steps. Conclusion: There is gradual increased prevalence of WCH in the overweight and obesity groups, parallel to gradually increased prevalences of hyperbetalipoproteinemia, dyslipidemia, HT, DM, and CHD. In addition nearly equal prevalence of WCH with obesity, and additional very low prevalence of sustained normotension in obesity group, WCH should be accepted as an alarming sign of excess weight and many associated disorders in future rather than just being a predisposing factor of HT and atherosclerosis alone. Its management should be focused on prevention of excess weight