In Clinical Practice, Masked Hypertension is as Common as Isolated Clinic Hypertension: Predominance of Younger Men

In a group of consecutive subjects referred for ambulatory BP monitoring, masked hypertension was found to be as common as isolated clinic hypertension. Masking was correlated with male sex, young age, and higher awake heart rate, thus suggesting a causal relationship with greater daytime physical activity. The linear association of the masking and the white-coat effects to clinic BP suggests that regression toward the mean may partially explain these phenomena.