Someone has a normal blood pressure if it is 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mmHg). If it is around 180/ 120 mmHg or even higher, it means that you have high blood pressure or a hypertensive crisis that happens all of sudden. This is something serious. Before it happens, it is better for you to be able to avoid it. There are a number of things that you can do to avoid a hypertensive crisis where it involves your lifestyle.
When you have a high blood pressure, the action that you need to take is various, depending on how much your blood pressure is and whether there are any accompanying symptoms or not. So, when should someone call 911 for high blood pressure? Read a lot of things about high blood pressure below.
Have You Heard About a Hypertensive Crisis?
If someone experiences a severe increase in blood pressure quickly, it is called a hypertensive crisis. It happens when your blood pressure is 180/120 mmHg or higher. This condition is a medical emergency because it can cause stroke, a heart attack, or other health problems which threaten your life.
When you experience a high blood pressure, the condition is when your heart may not have the ability to pump blood effectively. Don’t underestimate high blood pressure because in a severe case, it can damage blood vessels and body organs, such as the brain, heart, eyes, and kidney.
Cause of Hypertensive Crisis
What are the causes of hypertensive crisis? Here are some causes of a hypertensive crisis.
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- Interactions of medication
- Forgetting to consume blood pressure medication
- Having tumor of the adrenal gland (pheochromocytoma)
- Stopping certain heart medications all of sudden, such as beta blockers
Symptoms of a Hypertensive Crisis
There are a number of symptoms of a hypertensive crisis. You need to know it so that if one or some of them happen to you, you can take the right thing to decrease the risk.
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- Blurred vision
- Anxiety
- Painful in chest area
- Confusion
- Shortness of breath
- Seizures
- Severe headache
- Nausea and vomiting
- Not responding to stimulation (unresponsiveness)
When Should You Call 911 for High Blood Pressure?
You are able to call 911 or emergency medical services when your blood pressure is 180/120 mm Hg or higher and you feel pain in your chest, experience shortness of breath, or find symptoms of stroke, such as trouble speaking, changes in vision, tingling or numbness.
However, if you are checked at home that you have a very high blood pressure, but you do not feel any symptoms, you do not need to call 911. The thing that you have to do is just relax for a few minutes. After that, check your blood pressure again, but if your blood pressure is still high, you can find medical care.
Things That Will Happen If Your Blood Pressure is Uncontrolled
Here are a number of things that will happen if your blood pressure is uncontrolled.
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- Memory loss
- Stroke
- Loss of consciousness
- Loss of kidney function
- Heart attack
- Damage to the eyes and kidneys
- Pulmonary edema
- Eclampsia
- Angina (unstable chest pain)
- Aortic dissection
Two Types of Hypertensive Crisis
There are two types of hypertensive crisis as you are able to read below.
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- Urgent hypertensive crisis is a condition when your blood pressure is 180/120 mmHg or higher and there is no sign of organ damage. Usually, to know that this is an urgent hypertensive crisis, after the first reading, wait about five minutes and take a reading again. If it is still high, but there are no symptoms related to the organ damage, such as shortness of breath, chest pain, numbness or weakness, back pain, difficulty speaking, or change in vision, it is an urgent hypertensive crisis. In this condition, you may be required to adjust or add medications by your health care professional.
- Emergency hypertensive crisis is a condition when your blood pressure is 180/120 mmHg or higher and there is damage to the organs of your body that can threaten your life. In this type of hipertensive crisis, you are experiencing symptoms, such as back pain, chest pain, shortness of breath, change in vision, weakness or numbness, or difficulty speaking. If it happens, calling 911 is a must.
Lifestyle Change to Manage High Blood Pressure
To manage high blood pressure, you have to change your lifestyle so that the risk of complications, such as shortness of breath, chest pain, and kidney failure, can be reduced. Here are several things of lifestyle change that you can apply in your life according to the Altus Lumberton Hospital.
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- It is recommended for you to choose a heart-healthy diet which is low in sodium, containing a lot of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. It is also important for you to reduce salt to regulate your blood pressure.
- Make sure you exercise regularly. It is done to improve cardiovascular health and enhance your blood flow. You can do at least 150 minutes per week for moderate intensity exercise.
- Avoid stress because stress can elevate your blood pressure.
- Don’t consume alcohol. Alcohol can raise blood pressure.
- Avoid smoking because smoking can damage your blood vessels and increase the risk of heart-related problems.
- Take blood pressure medication as prescribed by your healthcare provider, if you are prescribed. By doing it, your hypertension can be controlled and it can prevent medical emergencies.
- Check your blood pressure at home or with your healthcare provider regularly so that your blood pressure can be monitored.
If you have changed your lifestyle, but you see that it is not enough to control your blood pressure, you have to consult with your healthcare professional. It is important for you to note that high blood pressure is often a silent condition. However, if you take proactive steps, the risk of life-threatening hypertensive crises can be reduced.
Some People Who Are Prone to a Hypertensive Crisis
Some people are prone to have a hypertensive crisis. Those are listed below.
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- Having certain heart conditions
- Having obesity
- Not taking blood pressure medicines consistently
- Older people who are are more than 40 years old
- Male gender
- Having a bad lifestyle, such as consuming alcohol, high sodium diet, substance abuse, smoking.
- Having diabetes
- Having anemia
- Dyslipidemia
- Cardiovascular and renal comorbidities
Some Drugs That Can Cause Hypertensive Crisis
It is important for you to note that there are some medications that can cause a hypertensive crisis. So, before you consume a medicine, it is better for you to find the information about the medicine or consult with your doctor, moreover, if you have a certain illness.
Here are some medications that are able to cause a hypertensive crisis.
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- Medicines for depression
- Cyclosporine
- Steroids
- Pseudoephedrine
Tests for Diagnosing a Hypertension Crisis
To know whether it is a hypertension crisis, you need to take one or some tests. Those tests are listed below.
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- Blood pressure check
- Blood tests
- Urine tests
- Chest X-ray
- CT scan of your head or chest
- Electrocardiogram (EKG)
- Transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE)
Treatment for a Hypertensive Crisis
When you have a hypertensive crisis, you need to treat it and the goal is to bring your blood pressure down to a safe level. However, to lower your blood pressure, it can happen quickly or slowly depending on your condition. Your blood pressure may be able to go down around 15% to 25% in an hour or two hours. However, if there is an intracranial hemorrhage or brain bleed or ischemic stroke, your blood pressure may be able to be lowered by your healthcare provider by only 15% during the first hour.
Your healthcare provider will lower your blood pressure gradually. It is done to make sure your organs can get enough blood supply. If the process of lowering your blood pressure happens too quickly when you do not have organ damage, the thing that will happen is it can send too little blood to your organs. If you have acute coronary syndrome, acute pulmonary edema, or aortic dissection, the healthcare provider will lower your blood pressure down quickly.
Does someone with high blood pressure need to be hospitalized? It depends on the type of hypertensive crisis that the person has. If it is a hypertensive emergency, the healthcare provider will usually ask you to be hospitalized so that you can get intensive care. While in the hospital, your blood pressure will be monitored and you will be given the correct medicines.
However, if it is a hypertensive urgency, the healthcare provider will give you medicine that you need to swallow for lowering your blood pressure. In this case, even though you do not need to be hospitalized, you will have to follow up with the healthcare provider over the next few days.
A bookworm and researcher especially related to law and citizenship education. I spend time every day in front of the internet and the campus library.
