When to Call a Doctor For High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is a condition in which your blood pushes against your artery walls at too high a pressure. With proper medical care, many people are able to control their high blood pressure. Poorly controlled cases put people at risk of strokes and heart attacks. To stay healthy, follow your doctor's directions and be alert for signs that your blood pressure is reaching dangerous levels.

Emergency Help

• Call 911 right away if you develop chest pain or other signs of a heart attack. Besides pain, these signs include squeezing or feeling as if you have a heavy weight on your chest. Nausea, vomiting, sweating, shortness of breath, or dizziness may accompany chest pain or discomfort. You may also feel pain in your arm, shoulder or neck. Additionally, feeling that your heart is racing or beating irregularly is another reason to call 911 immediately.

  You should also call for emergency medical assistance if you have signs of a stroke. These signs may include a severe headache that occurs suddenly or a feeling of numbness or paralysis that affects your face or any of your arms or legs. Numbness or paralysis may affect both sides of your body or just one. According to MedlinePlus (See Reference 1), however, symptoms that affect only one side of your body are even more likely to indicate a stroke. Other symptoms include changes in your vision, difficulty walking or balancing, drooling, slurred speech, confusion and problems understanding what others are saying.

Your Doctor

• You can have high blood pressure without any symptoms. For this reason, the Texas Heart Institute (See Reference 3) recommends having your blood pressure checked at least once a year. If you see your doctor yearly, you'll likely have your blood pressure checked then. If not, you can have it checked at a clinic, some pharmacies and even some grocery stores.

  Call your doctor if your blood pressure reading is too high, and you have had it checked more than once. If you have received a high reading at home or at a pharmacy, for example, have it checked again at a doctor's office or clinic. According to the American Heart Association (See Reference 2), a high blood pressure reading is any level at or above 140/90 mm of mercury (mm Hg). The top number of a blood pressure reading refers to the systolic pressure, which is the pressure of the blood in your arteries as your heart beats. The bottom number refers to the diastolic pressure, which is the pressure in your arteries between beats. If your systolic pressure is 140 or above or your diastolic pressure is 90 or above, you may be diagnosed with high blood pressure.

  A systolic pressure above 180 or a diastolic pressure above 110 mm Hg is considered an emergency situation, even if this is the first time it has reached such levels. Call your doctor right away. Additionally, call your doctor if you are taking blood pressure medication and experience new side effects or any side effects that make you want to skip taking your medicine.