Understanding White Coat Hypertension And The DOT Physical

Topic 18602 | Page 1

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The Highlight Reel's Comment
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Nobody enjoys going to the doctor, especially when your truck driving career depends on it. Getting that medical certification is the difference between being allowed to start or continue your career, or sitting on the sidelines until you can resolve any issues that have come up in your DOT physical.

Central to passing your physical is having a normal blood pressure reading below 140/90, with or without medication. Anything higher is classified as hypertension and could result in getting a medical certification valid for a shorter period of time, or even denied altogether, if it's above 180/110.

Add to this what is commonly known as "white coat hypertension", or "white coat syndrome". Classified more as a phenomenon rather than an actual physical condition, white coat syndrome is a situation in which a patient's blood pressure temporarily reads higher than normal only in a clinical setting. It is generally thought to be caused by anxiety, and usually doesn't present any other symptoms, though patients with white coat hypertension generally have higher morbidity (tendency for disease or illness) than those without, but lower morbidity than those with sustained hypertension.

People with higher blood pressure, temporary or not, have higher risks for heart disease than those at normal levels. The diagnosis and treatment of white coat hypertension has yet to be settled, with 24-hour blood pressure measurement and monitoring being a semi-reliable way of telling if a patient is in a temporary or permanent state of hypertension, as well as follow-up visits.

In most cases, the examiner will have the patient wait 15-30 minutes and re-test, or even come back another day. If your blood pressure still isn't at an acceptable level, medication and a reduced medical certification may result. Below are links to more thorough explanations and advice on your blood pressure and how to control it:

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) Guidelines, Limits, & Advice

What Does The DOT Physical Cover?

Lowering Your Blood Pressure For The DOT Physical

DOT:

Department Of Transportation

A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.

State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.

Hypertension:

Abnormally high blood pressure.

HOS:

Hours Of Service

HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
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