im just wondering if you have high blood pressure, (mines usually around 140/100) how high can it get before you should go to the emergency room. i know it can be different depending on what signs or symptoms your having, but how high can blood pressure get before it is a medical emergency and you need to go to the hospital. i am just curious, because i obviously know mine is on the high side, but i just get frequent headaches and i have a doctors appt coming up, i just want to know how high it can get before it would be a real emergency.
There is really no set BP standard for when to report to the emergency room.
Headaches are one of the most popular symptoms of high blood pressure. Be sure to mention you think you may have hypertension.
I would not worry as much about the reading of the blood pressure cuff but if you think it is causing any symptoms. If you suddenly have decreased or blurry vision, severe chest and/or back pain, severe headache with no known cause, or any type of neurological (brain) event, it is best to report to an ER or dial 911.
I would generally say if your top BP number gets over 180 or your bottom BP number gets over 110, I would call your doctor and potentially go to an ER or dial 911.
BUT- you could have symptoms at lower numbers than 180 and 110 and should follow your gut feeling. It is better to be safe, okay?
A normal blood pressure is 120/80.
NOTE TO MRS. DOUBTFIRE: The typical "advertised" standard is 120/80, basically meaning that is what we strive to have our patients at. However, we rarely see BP medication bring the BP to that point. There is a different number for certain patients though, for example: newborns.
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Thats already high if it gets much higher you need to get to the er because it could harm you in many ways.Damage to your arteries. This can result in hardening and thickening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), which can lead to a heart attack, stroke or other complications.
Aneurysm. Increased blood pressure can cause your blood vessels to weaken and bulge, forming an aneurysm. If an aneurysm ruptures, it can be life-threatening.
Heart failure. To pump blood against the higher pressure in your vessels, your heart muscle thickens. Eventually, the thickened muscle may have a hard time pumping enough blood to meet your body’s needs, which can lead to heart failure.
A blocked or ruptured blood vessel in your brain. High blood pressure in the arteries leading to your brain can either slow the blood flow to your brain or cause a blood vessel in your brain to burst, causing a stroke.
Weakened and narrowed blood vessels in your kidneys. This can prevent these organs from functioning normally.
Thickened, narrowed or torn blood vessels in the eyes. This can result in vision loss.
Metabolic syndrome. This syndrome is a cluster of disorders of your body’s metabolism — including increased waist circumference, high triglycerides, low high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good," cholesterol, high blood pressure, and high insulin levels. If you have high blood pressure, you’re more likely to have other components of metabolic syndrome. The more components you have, the greater your risk of developing diabetes, heart disease or stroke.
Trouble with memory or understanding. Uncontrolled high blood pressure also may affect your ability to think, remember and learn. Trouble with memory or understanding concepts is more common in people who have high blood pressure.
References :
RN ( NURSE )
It’s different for every person. You’re used to a higher pressure than I am, so yours could probably go higher before you burst a vessel in your head, for instance. The goal is to manage your blood pressure so you won’t have that medical emergency. I’m glad you have a doctor’s appointment coming up. Too many people just ignore it until they do have symptoms, and frequently there’s irreparable damage done.
Talk with your doctor and don’t be afraid to ask questions, report side effects of different medicines to him, etc. Having a high pressure over a long period of time begins to damage organs, such as heart and kidney.
Good luck, hope this helped some…
References :
Anytime your Pressure is high, you should be concerned. If I went to my DR. with your readings and complaining of headache, he would probably put me in hosp. How long b4 your DR. appt.? Don’t wait if this continues, and/or gets worse.
References :
Since the pressures you read with a monitor aren’t true, there’s absolutely no need for you take the slightest notice of them. You’re in no danger whatever. Forget it. Your readings are simply on the upper rage of average, that’s all.
IF (and ONLY IF) your readings suddenly change, or start to change, (upwards or downwards) then that is the time to start taking notice. CHANGES ARE REAL.
Changes denote that the brain is making the heart produce higher pressure for some reason. Find out what the reason is.
EDIT: There is actually no such thing as "NORMAL" blood pressure applicable to everyone. There’s ‘normal’ for YOU, and ‘normal for ME, and ‘normal’ for Taylor, even, … but what is ‘normal’ for one person might well be abnormal for another… Doctors don’t really understand this. Odd, -isn’t it?
References :
Cardiovascular Physicist.
There is really no set BP standard for when to report to the emergency room.
Headaches are one of the most popular symptoms of high blood pressure. Be sure to mention you think you may have hypertension.
I would not worry as much about the reading of the blood pressure cuff but if you think it is causing any symptoms. If you suddenly have decreased or blurry vision, severe chest and/or back pain, severe headache with no known cause, or any type of neurological (brain) event, it is best to report to an ER or dial 911.
I would generally say if your top BP number gets over 180 or your bottom BP number gets over 110, I would call your doctor and potentially go to an ER or dial 911.
BUT- you could have symptoms at lower numbers than 180 and 110 and should follow your gut feeling. It is better to be safe, okay?
A normal blood pressure is 120/80.
NOTE TO MRS. DOUBTFIRE: The typical "advertised" standard is 120/80, basically meaning that is what we strive to have our patients at. However, we rarely see BP medication bring the BP to that point. There is a different number for certain patients though, for example: newborns.
References :
MD Pediatric Cardiology