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Masked Hypertension

Meaning

Masked hypertension is a significant clinical condition where a patient’s blood pressure measurements taken in the controlled clinical setting, such as a doctor’s office, are consistently within the normal, non-hypertensive range, but the blood pressure readings taken outside of the clinic, typically at home or during normal daily activities, are consistently elevated. This phenomenon is particularly concerning because it is frequently missed during routine check-ups, leaving affected patients at an unrecognized, increased risk for long-term cardiovascular events and silent target organ damage. Accurate diagnosis absolutely requires the use of Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) or meticulous, standardized home blood pressure monitoring protocols.