Many who have normal blood pressure, may occasionally have it rise for a short period of time. Sudden high blood pressure can happen in response to anxiety, a heavy meal or activity. There is no reason to be concerned with this temporary rise. If you have always had normal blood pressure, and then it rises and stays up for several days, you will want to find the cause. Your doctor will check for drug side effects from both prescription drugs and street drugs. He will also look for sudden hormone imbalances, kidney problems or pregnancy complications.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is the actual pressure of the blood flow against the walls of the arteries. Normally this is the correct pressure to push the blood to the whole body. When the pressure is high, the heart must work harder. Over a period of time, if not treated, high blood pressure can cause permanent damage to the heart, kidneys and other organs. Because most cases of high blood pressure do not cause any immediate symptoms, it can be extremely dangerous. Your blood pressure should be checked routinely.
Because your blood pressure may change from one minute to the next, measure it by sitting comfortably and relaxed, at about the same time each day. The readings should not vary more than twenty points. According to Health Central, sudden high blood pressure, above 220/110, requires immediate medical help. Less severe high readings can cause damage over time and need to be investigated. Symptoms of chronic high blood pressure are disturbed sleep, blurred vision, headache, dizziness, and fatigue. There are three types of high blood pressure.
Primary hypertension: High blood pressure usually has no known cause. The medical community suspects that a combination of poor lifestyle choices, heredity, age and race all contribute the high blood pressure.
Secondary hypertension: When a definite cause can be identified, secondary hypertension may sometimes be temporary as in pregnancy, or controllable as in side effects from drugs. Secondary hypertension may also be caused by hormonal imbalances, head injuries, or kidney problems.
Isolated systolic hypertension: Found mainly in older patients, the blood pressure may be high when the heart beats and return to normal between beats. This can damage the artery walls and strain the heart.
While your doctor is investigating the cause of your sudden high blood pressure, there are some things you can do on your own to lower it. Lifestyle changes include regular exercise, balanced diet, weight loss, salt and caffeine restriction, smoking cessation. Your doctor may prescribe one of several medications.
High blood pressure occurs when the body responds to changes in the heart rate or resistance in the blood vessels. Sudden high blood pressure, lasting more than a few days, needs to be investigated. Treatment may involve simple lifestyle changes or a number of safe and effective medications to control high blood pressure. High blood pressure, properly treated, should allow you to live normally. Without treatment, sudden high blood pressure can lead to major problems and even death.
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