Is this your symptom?
- You have been told you have high blood pressure (or hypertension)
- You think you may have high blood pressure or are not sure
- You have a systolic blood pressure greater than 120 or diastolic blood pressure greater than 80
Causes of High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
- Essential Hypertension means high blood pressure of unknown cause. Most people have this type, especially the elderly.
- Secondary Hypertension
means high blood pressure due to another health problem. Treatment of the health problem, or avoiding meds or toxins that are the cause, will help reduce blood pressure. Examples are:
- Kidney diseases, hormone problems and pregnancy
- Narrowing of the aorta (the main blood vessel carrying blood away from the heart)
- Some meds and toxins: alcohol, cocaine, caffeine, amphetamines, birth control pills, antidepressants, some decongestants, and herbal remedies.
- Hypertensive Crisis (serious).
There are two types of crises:
- Hypertensive urgency: systolic pressure of 180 mm Hg or higher and a diastolic of 120 mm Hg or higher. Treatment should aim to reduce blood pressure over a few days.
- Accelerated Hypertension: systolic pressure higher than 200 mm Hg and diastolic higher than 130 mm Hg and damage to other organs (brain, kidneys, heart and lungs). This is an emergency and needs same day treatment to reduce the blood pressure quickly to prevent death.
- Pheochromocytoma is a rare tumor of the adrenal glands, which are just above the kidneys. They make the hormones that control heart rate, blood pressure and metabolism. A tumor in the gland can make it release too much of the hormones and cause blood pressure to rise. There may also be sweating, palpitations, headaches, shaking and vomiting. Most people will need surgery to remove the tumor.
- Hypertension in Pregnancy (serious)
affects about 15% of pregnant women. These women have a higher risk of more health problems, stroke, clotting disorders, reduced growth of the baby and even death of the unborn baby. Treatment depends on the stage of pregnancy and how high the blood pressure is. Close monitoring is needed for the rest of the pregnancy and for several days after delivery.
- Pre-existing Hypertension will have been present before the pregnancy or detected before 20 weeks.
- Gestational Hypertension is caused by the pregnancy and starts after 20 weeks. It may calm down quickly or stay for the rest of the pregnancy. Untreated, pre-eclampsia or eclampsia may develop.
- In pre-eclampsia, there is pregnancy-caused hypertension, swelling and/or protein in the mother's urine. Symptoms include severe headache, blurred vision or flashes before the eyes, severe upper abdomen pain, vomiting and sudden swelling of the hands and face.
- Eclampsia can follow pre-eclampsia and seizures occur. This can be life-threatening for both mother and baby.
- White Coat Hypertension is a term used for people who have normal blood pressure at home but higher blood pressure when measured by their doctor. Your doctor may have you wear a meter to check your blood pressure while at work, at home and while you sleep. Unneeded treatment may then be avoided.
When to Call for High Blood Pressure
Call 911 Now
Go to ER Now
Call Doctor or Seek Care Now
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Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours
Contact Doctor During Office Hours
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Self Care at Home
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Call 911 Now
- You may be having a stroke or a heart attack. Symptoms could include:
- severe chest pain
- severe trouble breathing
- confused
- loss of movement in part of your body or face
- unable to speak or slurred speech
- Can't be awakened or hard to keep awake
- Seizure
- You think you have a life-threatening emergency
Go to ER Now
- Severe headache
- You are feeling lightheaded, dizzy or faint
- Pregnant and have sudden swelling of face or hands
- Pregnant and blood pressure (BP) is higher than 140/90
Call Doctor or Seek Care Now
- Trouble breathing, but not severe
- Blood pressure (BP) is higher than 140/90 and you are postpartum (less than 2 months since giving birth)
- BP is higher than 180 systolic and/or 120 diastolic
- You feel weak or very sick
- You think you need to be seen, and the problem is urgent
Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours
- BP is higher than 130/80 and you are pregnant or postpartum (less than 2 months after giving birth)
- You take BP meds and you may be having side effects (cough, diarrhea or constipation, dizzy, erection problems)
- You think you need to be seen, but the problem is not urgent
Contact Doctor During Office Hours
- You feel well but your BP is higher than 120/80
- Your BP is slowly getting higher over a period of time
- You have other questions or concerns
Self Care at Home
- BP is 120/80 (normal BP) or lower
Care Advice for Stomach Pain
What You Should Know About Stomach Pain:
- Mild stomach pain can be caused by something simple. It could be from gas pains or eating too much.
- Sometimes, stomach pain signals the start of a viral infection. This will lead to vomiting or loose stools.
- Watching your child for 2 hours will help tell you the cause.
- Here is some care advice that should help.
Lie Down:
- Have your child lie down and rest until feeling better.
Clear Fluids:
- Offer clear fluids only (such as water, flat soft drinks or half-strength Gatorade).
- For mild pain, offer a regular diet.
Prepare for Vomiting:
- Keep a vomiting pan handy.
- Younger children often talk about stomach pain when they have nausea. Nausea is the sick stomach feeling that comes before they throw up.
Pass a Stool:
- Have your child sit on the toilet and try to pass a stool.
- This may help if the pain is from constipation or diarrhea.
- Note: for constipation, moving a warm wet cotton ball on the anus may help.
Do Not Give Medicines:
- Any drug (like ibuprofen) could upset the stomach and make the pain worse.
- Do not give any pain medicines or laxatives for stomach cramps.
- For fever higher than 102° F (39° C), acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) can be given.
What to Expect:
- With harmless causes, the pain is most often better or gone in 2 hours.
- With stomach flu, belly cramps may happen before each bout of vomiting or diarrhea. These cramps may come and go for a few days.
- With serious causes (such as appendicitis), the pain worsens and becomes constant.
Call Your Doctor If:
- Pain becomes severe
- Constant pain lasts more than 2 hours
- Mild pain that comes and goes lasts more than 24 hours
- You think your child needs to be seen
- Your child becomes worse
Extra Help - Worried Stomach:
- Help your child talk about events that trigger the stomach pain. Talk to your child about how to cope with these the next time around.
- Help your child worry less about things she can't control.
- To treat the pain, help your child get very relaxed. Lying down in a quiet place and taking slow deep breaths may help. Make the belly go up and down with each breath. Then try to relax all the muscles in the body. Think about something pleasant. Listening to audios that teach how to relax might also help.
- Make sure your child gets enough sleep.
- Make sure that your child doesn't miss any school because of stomach pains. Stressed children tend to want to stay home when the going gets rough.
- Caution: your child should see her doctor for an exam. Do this before concluding frequent stomach pains are from worrying too much.
