Hypertensive crisis: what it is, symptoms, causes and treatment

A hypertensive crisis is when the pressure is above 180/120 mmHg, popularly known as 18×12, causing symptoms such as dizziness, tinnitus, headache, feeling short of breath, chest pain and blurred vision.

This situation can happen in people who have never had blood pressure problems, however it is more common in people who have high blood pressure and do not follow the treatment recommended by their doctor.

In the presence of signs and symptoms indicative of a hypertensive crisis, it is important that blood pressure is measured and that a cardiologist is consulted so that tests can be carried out to check whether there is any factor associated with the crisis and, thus, the most appropriate treatment can be initiated. preventing complications.

Main symptoms

The main symptoms of hypertensive crisis are:

• Dizziness;
• Blurry vision;
• Headache;
• Buzzing;
• Feeling of shortness of breath;
• I miss the nut;
• Chest pain, in some cases;
• General malaise.

Symptoms of hypertensive crisis appear when pressure increases rapidly. It is important that, as soon as the symptoms of a hypertensive crisis appear, the pressure is measured and, if a major change is observed, go immediately to the hospital so that further tests can be carried out and the most appropriate treatment can be started.

How the diagnosis is made

The initial diagnosis of hypertensive crisis is initially made by evaluating the symptoms presented and measuring blood pressure. However, the doctor may recommend other tests to confirm the diagnosis, such as an electrocardiogram, oxygen saturation assessment, heart and lung auscultation, as well as eye exams.

Make an appointment with the nearest cardiologist to assess your blood pressure levels and thus begin the best treatment, if necessary:

Blood pressure calculator

To find out if your pressure is normal, enter the values ​​into the calculator below:

Causes of hypertensive crisis

The increase in blood pressure may be due to damage to an organ or simply decompensation. Therefore, hypertensive crisis can be classified into two main types:

• Hypertensive emergency: which happens when there is an increase in blood pressure levels and which may happen for the first time or be a decompensation.
• Hypertensive emergency: in which there is a sudden increase in blood pressure associated with damage to an organ, which may be related to serious situations such as acute myocardial infarction, hypertensive encephalopathy, acute pulmonary edema, hemorrhagic stroke or aortic dissection, for example.

It is important that the hypertensive crisis is identified and treated quickly to avoid complications that could compromise the functioning of an 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. Furthermore, if you do not receive adequate treatment, the risk of worsening your health condition is greater, which could lead to death.

How the treatment is carried out

The treatment of a hypertensive crisis may vary according to the results of the tests carried out and the type of hypertensive crisis. In case of hypertensive urgency, the use of medication to regulate blood pressure may only be recommended by the doctor.

On the other hand, in the case of a hypertensive emergency, it is recommended that the person remains hospitalized so that signs and symptoms can be monitored and controlled and so that the pressure can be normalized within 1 hour with the use of medication directly into the vein to avoid complications.

Furthermore, it is important to keep your blood pressure under control and follow your doctor’s recommendations, such as practicing physical activity regularly and eating a healthy, balanced diet. See more details on what to do when the pressure is high.