Things You Should Know About High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)

Although hypertension is a fairly common health issue, very few people are properly knowledgeable about it. Many adults suffer immense health problems because of undiagnosed and untreated high blood pressure. No one requires that you become an expert at all health issues. However, as part of preventive health care, you must learn more about potentially life-threatening health issues, especially when predisposed to high-risk factors. With hypertension, it may be too late for you if you wait until you have uncontrolled hypertension necessitating emergency care.

What Is High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)?

It is a condition that refers to heightened blood pressure. Ideally, when blood travels from the heart to other parts of the body, it exerts a certain amount of pressure on the arterial walls. The force exerted needs to be within control, having a normal range of 130/80. As such, anything over the 140/90 mark is regarded as high blood pressure. You will need urgent treatment at a 24-hour emergency room if your pressure goes over 180/120, which usually indicates severe high blood pressure.

Who Is Most Likely to Have High Blood Pressure?

Although anyone can suffer from hypertension, certain groups of people are at a higher risk of this illness than everyone else. Some of the people most likely to have high blood pressure are:

• Pregnant women – pregnancy puts a strain on the human body, significantly heightening the pressure of your blood. It is especially the case for women with problematic pregnancies.
• Being old – anyone over the age of 55 years has a high risk of increased blood pressure.
• Diabetic patients
• Genetics – if other people in your family have a history of high blood pressure.
• Overweight and obese people
• Drug addicts – especially heavy consumers of alcohol
• Poor lifestyle choices – for instance, a continually high intake of sodium through salty foods.

Can High Blood Pressure Affect Pregnancy?

Pregnant women are among the groups of people highly predisposed to getting high blood pressure in the course of the nine months of pregnancy. Some types of hypertension that can occur during pregnancy are:

• Preeclampsia – is a common and dangerous health issue for pregnant women that causes an alarming increase in blood pressure.
• Chronic hypertension – if a mother has hypertension prior to getting pregnant, it can worsen when they conceive.
• Gestational hypertension – is a type of hypertension that occurs because you are pregnant.

When Should You Go to The ER with High Blood Pressure?

The thing about hypertension is that it does not always manifest any symptoms. It may take a while before you ever realize you have high blood pressure, which is why the condition is often called the silent killer. Usually, you have to wait until you have a reading of 140/90 or higher, which you will only find out upon visiting a doctor near you for a checkup. Still, you can rely on the following symptoms, which are likely for patients with hypertension, as your sign that you need a checkup in an ER near you:

What Medications Are Used in ERs by Doctors to Treat High Blood Pressure?

If you have to visit an ER for high blood pressure, it means that your blood pressure is significantly high. The treatment for severely high blood pressure differs from that for mild hypertension. Some of the medication that your doctor may prescribe include the following:

• Calcium channel blockers – promote the relaxation of your blood vessels by regulating the calcium levels that penetrate your blood vessels and muscle cells of your heart.
• Diuretics – are water or fluid pills that help reduce the concentration of sodium in your body.
• Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors – prevent the narrowing of blood vessels. They work by blocking a crucial hormone in your body used for controlling blood pressure naturally.

What Happens If High Blood Pressure Is Not Treated?

While you may not appreciate regularly walking into an emergency room for high blood pressure treatment, not treating the illness can have adverse consequences to your health. Some of the issues connected to untreated high blood pressure are:

• Stroke
• Kidney failure
• Eye damage
• Complications during pregnancy – may even lead to the death of the unborn child or the mother.
• Heart attacks and heart failure