WHITE-COAT HYPERTENSION IN PREGNANT WOMEN: RISK FACTORS, PREGNANCY OUTCOMES, BIOMARKERS

What is it about?

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a worldwide health problem for women, complicating up to 10% of pregnancies, and are associated with increased maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. The traditional measurement of blood pressure in clinical practice is the most commonly used procedure for diagnosing and monitoring the treatment of hypertension, but it is subjected to significant inaccuracies, caused, on the one hand, by the inherent variability of blood pressure itself, and on the other hand, by errors arising from the measurement technique and conditions. Some studies have demonstrated a better estimate of the prognosis of the development of cardiovascular diseases using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. This method can also detect white-coat hypertension, helping avoid overdiagnosis and overtreatment in many cases, and can also identify of masked hypertension, which can help avoid underdiagnosis and lack of prescribed treatment if needed.

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Why is it important?

White-coat hypertension is not a benign condition in which higher risks of developing preeclampsia, premature birth and small-for-gestational-age infants have been shown. In this regard, it is extremely important for clinicians to be aware of the risk factors and outcomes associated with white coat hypertension.

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