at what bp reading should i go to the hospital
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Understanding Loftier Blood Pressure and Hypertension Emergencies
Approved by Dr. Craig de WAAL
Medical Director – SignatureCare Emergency Heart Austin, TX
Commodity SECTIONS
- What is Hypertension?
- Understanding Your Blood Pressure Numbers
- Risk Factors for Hypertension
- Signs and Symptoms of Hypertension
- When is Loftier Blood Pressure level an Emergency?
- Hypertensive Urgency
- Hypertensive Emergency
- What to Do if You Suspect a Hypertensive Crisis
- Our SignatureCare
What is Hypertension?
The American Higher of Cardiology and the American Centre Association define hypertension every bit a consequent measurement of your blood pressure 130/eighty mm Hg or higher.
So, what does this mean?
It means that the forcefulness of your blood flowing through your claret vessels is also high and over time can cause harm to your organs.
If your chief intendance provider (PCP) suspects that you may accept hypertension (loftier blood force per unit area), they volition measure out, record, and monitor your blood pressure level numbers over time.
Your PCP may as well ask you to monitor your blood pressure on your own using a "self-serve" car or by using a habitation device to measure your blood pressure.
Some people go anxious at the dr.'s office and this anxiety can cause their blood pressure to artificially increase just at the doctor's office. This is referred to as "White Coat Hypertension" and tin can cause you and your PCP to be unnecessarily concerned so it'due south important to check your claret pressure level outside of your doctor'south part if yous suspect this may be the instance.
To be diagnosed with hypertension, you should have 3 high claret pressure readings at iii unlike times over a half dozen-month period.
Understanding Your Blood Pressure level Numbers
When yous get your blood pressure (BP) taken, it is given equally two numbers. For instance, you might be told that your blood pressure is 120/eighty.
This number is e'er written every bit a fraction and refers to two things happening in your heart. The top number in the fraction is called the Systolic pressure (120/x). This number measures the highest blood pressure level in your arteries when the heart muscle contracts.
The bottom number in the fraction is called the Diastolic force per unit area (x/80). This number measures the lowest blood pressure level in your arteries when the middle is relaxed between beats. Both numbers are important in determining if your BP is normal or if y'all have hypertension.
Risk Factors for Hypertension
At that place are a number of factors that tin put you at a greater risk for developing hypertension.
If you are enlightened of these risk factors and empathize how they can touch you, you may exist less probable to develop high blood pressure level (HBP) or know you tin help control it.
- Family History: If you have a close claret relative (especially parents or siblings) with HBP, you are at a greater risk of developing it yourself.
- Age: The older you become, the more likely you are to be diagnosed with HBP.
- Gender: Males are more than likely to develop HBP before the age of 65. Women tend to develop hypertension over the age of 65.
- Race: More than than iv in x African-Americans suffer from high blood pressure. Hypertension in these individuals commonly occurs before in life and is much more severe.
- Diabetes: More than than 3 in 4 people with Diabetes are also diagnosed with Hypertension.
- Lifestyle: The choices you make can decrease your chance of developing hypertension. These factors include diet, exercise, beingness overweight and the use of alcohol and tobacco. The skilful news is that, unlike the others, these risk factors can exist changed.
Signs and Symptoms
Many people may be surprised that they tin accept hypertension and not even know information technology. Information technology is often referred to as the "silent killer" because loftier blood pressure level typically does not have any apparent signs or symptoms.
Almost of the harm to your trunk from high blood pressure takes place over a long period of time. Even so, some people do go on to develop emergencies related to claret pressure and may need urgent medical attention.
When is High Blood Force per unit area an Emergency?
The term hypertensive crunch is used to draw a quick and severe rise in claret force per unit area with measurements over 180/120 which can quickly atomic number 82 to consequences like stroke, centre attack, kidney damage, loss of vision, or respiratory failure.
Unfortunately, some people have very difficult to control high blood pressures despite medication, and so we need to consider what is a normal blood pressure for you as we decide what blazon of hypertensive crunch you are experiencing.
One type of hypertensive crisis is milder and tin can be treated conservatively as an outpatient. The other is very serious and requires immediate attention to prevent life-threatening complications.
Hypertensive Urgency
If your blood pressure is 180/120 or higher the first thing you should do is: Do Not Panic; wait most 5 minutes and cheque your claret pressure once more.
If the echo remains elevated, simply yous are non suffering from whatever symptoms like chest pain or shortness of breath, this is called Hypertensive Urgency and usually requires medication adjustment as an outpatient.
If yous are not currently taking any high claret pressure medications, you lot may need to start them for any measured diastolic blood pressure of 110 mm Hg (ten/110) or greater.
Hypertensive Emergency
If your claret pressure is 180/120 or higher AND y'all are experiencing symptoms that could be related to your high blood pressure level you lot should get to the Emergency Room immediately.
Symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, astringent headache, changes in vision, difficulty speaking, dizziness, numbness/weakness, or even upper dorsum pain all are potential symptoms of life-threatening high claret pressure.
When markedly elevated claret pressure level is combined with these signs of organ damage, this is called Hypertensive Emergency and often requires admission to the hospital for immediate treatment.
What to practice if You Suspect a Hypertensive Crisis
If you suspect that you or someone else is experiencing a hypertensive crunch, these are the steps that should exist taken:
- Check your claret force per unit area.
- If your claret pressure is elevated to 180/120 or higher and you ARE NOT experiencing whatsoever severe symptoms, look 5 minutes and have it again. Try to relax (easier said than done!) because anxiety can cause falsely elevated blood force per unit area readings.
- If the repeat BP measurement is the same or college then yous should seek medical attention. Phone call your Principal Care Provider first for instructions on medication adjustment and/or follow-up. If you cannot reach them, go to the Emergency Room.
- If your blood pressure is elevated to 180/120 or higher and you ARE experiencing warning symptoms (breast hurting/upper back pain, shortness of breath, severe headache, dizziness, numbness/weakness, loss of vision, or difficulty speaking) then do not wait to recheck your blood pressure and instead you should go immediately to the Emergency Room for evaluation.
Our SignatureCare
At SignatureCare Emergency Centers nosotros are ready 24/vii and 365 days a yr to treat your emergency medical atmospheric condition. Our physicians are all Board Certified Emergency Physicians with years of feel treating all types of life-threatening bug, including Hypertensive Emergencies. Even if you're non certain that you are having a Hypertensive Crunch, nosotros welcome you to come up in for a medical screening evaluation with a claret force per unit area check and to discuss your symptoms. Our luxury ER's all have state-of-the-art engineering science with top-notch client care and we are open up 24 hours near you.
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Source: https://ercare24.com/high-blood-pressure-hypertension-emergencies/
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