The hypertensive crisis, also called hypertension crisis, is a situation characterized by a rapid rise in blood pressure, usually around 200/100 mmHg and which, if left untreated, can lead to serious complications.
Hypertensive crisis can happen at any age and in people who have never had pressure problems, however it is more common to happen in people who have high blood pressure and do not follow the treatment recommended by the doctor.
How to identify
The hypertensive crisis can be noticed through signs and symptoms that arise when the pressure increases rapidly, such as dizziness, blurred vision, headache and pain in the neck. As soon as the signs and symptoms appear, it is important to measure the pressure and, in the event of a major change, go immediately to the hospital for further tests, such as electrocardiogram, for example, and treatment can be started.
The increase in blood pressure can happen due to injury to some organ or just a decompensation. Thus, the hypertensive crisis can be classified into two main types:
- Hypertensive urgency: it happens when there is an increase in blood pressure levels and it can occur for the first time or be a decompensation. Hypertensive urgency usually has no symptoms and does not represent a risk to the person, being only recommended by the doctor to use medications to regulate the pressure. Hypertensive emergency: in which there is a sudden increase in blood pressure associated with an organ injury, which may be related to serious situations such as acute myocardial infarction, hypertensive encephalopathy, acute lung edema, hemorrhagic stroke or aortic dissection, for example. In this case it is important that the person is hospitalized so that the signs and symptoms are monitored and controlled and that the pressure is normalized within 1 hour with the use of medicines directly in the vein to avoid complications.
It is important that the hypertensive crisis is identified and treated quickly to avoid complications that could compromise the functioning of any organ or put the person's life at risk. The main organs affected in a hypertensive crisis are the eyes, heart, brain and kidney, which can lead to their malfunction. In addition, in the case of not doing the proper treatment, the risk of worsening the health status is greater, which can lead to death.
What to do in a hypertensive crisis
The treatment of the hypertensive crisis may vary according to the results of the tests performed, and most of the time the use of medications to reduce the pressure is indicated by the doctor. In addition, to keep the pressure under control at home, it is important to follow the treatment indicated by the doctor and have healthy lifestyle habits, such as regular physical activity and having a balanced and low-salt diet. See how to reduce your salt intake on a daily basis.
