High blood pressure is usually a chronic condition that gradually causes damage over years. But sometimes blood pressure rises so quickly and severely that it becomes a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment, often with hospitalization.
Seek emergency care if your blood pressure reading is 180/120 or higher AND you have any of the following symptoms, which may be signs of organ damage: Chest pain. Shortness of breath. Numbness or weakness.
“The American Heart Association states that a reading of 180/110 or greater requires immediate medical attention. If you take this reading two times in a row, five minutes apart, then you must head to the nearest ER,” says Dr. Meier.
Normal pressure is 120/80 or lower. Your blood pressure is considered high (stage 1) if it reads 130/80. Stage 2 high blood pressure is 140/90 or higher. If you get a blood pressure reading of 180/110 or higher more than once, seek medical treatment right away.
Secondary hypertension
This type of high blood pressure is caused by an underlying condition. It tends to appear suddenly and cause higher blood pressure than does primary hypertension.
Do not wait until your blood pressure comes down on its own. Get help right away. Call your doctor or nurse advice line now or seek immediate medical care if: Your blood pressure is much higher than normal (such as 180/110 or higher), but you don't have symptoms.
Certain medical conditions such as collagen vascular disorder, scleroderma, and thyroid issues all can cause sudden blood pressure spikes.
Hypertensive emergency is when your blood pressure is over 180 (top) or 120 (bottom). It is a real life-threatening emergency with impending target-organ-damage (TOD) in the heart, brain, kidney, and large blood vessels.
There is an average survival rate of only ten months in these cases. There are also increased odds of developing fatal heart disease (such as heart attack or arrhythmias) and kidney diseases if you go untreated for a long time. These can also contribute to an early death.
Extremely high blood pressure can damage blood vessels and weaken arteries in the brain, increasing the risk of stroke. Blood pressure readings above 180/120 mmHg are considered stroke-level, dangerously high, and require immediate medical attention.
Something as simple as keeping yourself hydrated by drinking six to eight glasses of water every day improves blood pressure. Water makes up 73% of the human heart,¹ so no other liquid is better at controlling blood pressure.
Anxiety doesn't cause long-term high blood pressure (hypertension). But episodes of anxiety can cause dramatic, temporary spikes in blood pressure.
What will the ER do for high blood pressure? When you arrive at the ER with high blood pressure, the first thing your physicians will do is try to bring your blood pressure down. Typically, this is done with either oral or intravenous medications.
Blood pressure is mostly a silent disease
Unfortunately, high blood pressure can happen without feeling any abnormal symptoms. Moderate or severe headaches, anxiety, shortness of breath, nosebleeds, palpitations, or feeling of pulsations in the neck are some signs of high blood pressure.
Now, however, a study that researchers at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin in Germany carried out suggests that some older people may not face other health problems if they have high blood pressure. In fact, the researchers note, some people in their 80s may even see some benefits.
For those who have hypertension, regular physical activity can bring blood pressure down to safer levels. Some examples of aerobic exercise that can help lower blood pressure include walking, jogging, cycling, swimming or dancing. Another possibility is high-intensity interval training.
If your blood pressure is elevated and you want to see an immediate change, lie down and take deep breaths. This is how you lower your blood pressure within minutes, helping to slow your heart rate and decrease your blood pressure. When you feel stress, hormones are released that constrict your blood vessels.
While both numbers in a blood pressure reading are essential for diagnosing and treating high blood pressure, doctors primarily focus on the top number, also known as systolic pressure.
Reactions to stress can affect blood pressure
These actions increase blood pressure for a time. There's no proof that stress by itself causes long-term high blood pressure. But reacting to stress in unhealthy ways can raise blood pressure and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
While there is no cure for high blood pressure, it is important for patients to take steps that matter, such as making effective lifestyle changes and taking BP-lowering medications as prescribed by their physicians.
High blood pressure causes tiredness as a result of elevated pressure on vital organs such as the brain, heart and kidneys. Often though, medication plays a larger role in contributing to fatigue than the actual condition does. Tiredness is often a common side effect of many medications used to lower blood pressure.
Bananas. Bananas contain potassium, which can help manage hypertension. One medium-sized banana contains around 422 milligrams (mg) of potassium. According to the American Heart Association (AHA) , potassium reduces the effects of sodium and alleviates tension in the walls of the blood vessels.
Magnesium intake of 500 mg/d to 1000 mg/d may reduce blood pressure (BP) as much as 5.6/2.8 mm Hg. However, clinical studies have a wide range of BP reduction, with some showing no change in BP.
Insomnia is linked to high blood pressure and heart disease. Over time, poor sleep can also lead to unhealthy habits that can hurt your heart, including higher stress levels, less motivation to be physically active, and unhealthy food choices.
Call 9-1-1 immediately if any of these signs of stroke appear: Numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg; Confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech; Trouble seeing in one or both eyes; Trouble walking, dizziness, or problems with balance; severe headache with no known cause.