Arteries do the important job of carrying blood from the heart to other parts of your body. When the blood pushes against artery walls, this causes high blood pressure. Even when you are a healthy person, your blood pressure does not remain the same throughout the day. It rises and falls. However, blood pressure should not remain high for long as this is not good for the health of your heart. This can also cause many other health problems.
Hypertension is another term used for high blood pressure. According to the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, high blood pressure occurs when the blood pressure is at or above 130/80 mm Hg. In stage 2 high blood pressure, blood pressure is at or above 140/90 mm Hg.
High blood pressure increases the risk of stroke and heart disease. Both are one of the leading causes of death in the US. Only 24% of American adults have their high blood pressure under control.
There are two types of high blood pressure including primary high blood pressure and secondary high blood pressure.
Primary blood pressure develops over time with age. It is the most common type of high blood pressure. On the other hand, secondary high blood pressure occurs due to certain medications and some other health conditions. In addition to these two, you also need to be aware of white coat hypertension or white coat syndrome.
Sometimes, your blood pressure suddenly spikes. You start experiencing symptoms and when you use your electronic blood pressure monitor with an extra large cuff, you find that your blood pressure is high.
Hypertension is a chronic condition. However, this sudden, sharp increase is something you should not ignore. There are different causes of sudden high blood pressure. If this happens only once, this is not always a big issue. However, if you experience sudden hypertension on a regular basis, this is a sign of a serious health problem. The following are the common causes of sudden high blood pressure:
Acute Pain
Injured back, paper cut or stubbed toe often cause sharp or sudden pain. This pain can also suddenly increase your blood pressure. However, as the pain subsides, use your electronic blood pressure monitor with an extra large cuff and monitor your blood pressure. It will be back to normal.
Dehydration
Drinking more water can help in avoiding many health problems. You need water to run your body smoothly. Drinking water is good for your heart and blood pressure.
Holding Urine
When you drink more water, you have to go more often. Avoid holding urine. Holding urine increases systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The risk is high in middle-aged women.
White Coat Syndrome
Your blood pressure stays normal at home. However, when you visit a doctor, an electronic blood pressure monitor extra large cuff reads high blood pressure. It is different from regular hypertension. White coat syndrome increases the risk of the following conditions:
- Heart failure
- Heart attack
- Stroke
It can also cause other cardiovascular conditions. Therefore, never ignore white coat syndrome. Relax, practice stress relief and change the conversation to avoid white coat hypertension.
Anxiety
Anxiety episodes can suddenly increase your blood pressure. This is temporary high blood pressure. If this happens frequently, this is not good for the health of your blood vessels. This may also increase your blood pressure.
