Understanding Blood Pressure
A blood pressure reading has two numbers. The first number represents systolic blood pressure, which indicates the amount of pressure your blood puts on the walls of your arteries when your heart beats. The second number represents diastolic blood pressure, which indicates the amount of pressure your blood puts on the walls of your arteries in between heartbeats. Abnormalities in either of these readings can lead to a diagnosis of high blood pressure, but the systolic reading is often more important. Having a high systolic reading puts you at a greater risk for cardiovascular disease over the age of 50. Your blood pressure naturally increases as you age because:- Your arteries become stiff
- Plaque builds up in your arteries
- Your chances of getting cardiovascular diseases increase
Five stages of blood pressure
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Back pain
- Numbness
- Weakness
- Changes in vision
- Difficulty speaking
Risks of Labile Hypertension
Unusual, and sometimes unexplained, spikes in your blood pressure — called labile hypertension — may indicate something is wrong with your health. Diagnosing labile hypertension is very qualitative. This means that this condition cannot be measured on any scale like the stages of hypertension are — there is no minimum number that your blood pressure has to spike and no minimum number of spikes that have to happen. It’s diagnosed depending on what your normal blood pressure range is. Signs of labile hypertension include:- Facial flushing
- Tension headaches
- Sweating
- Feeling uneasy
- A car accident
- Financial problems
- Intense physical activity
- A disagreement with someone
Diagnosing Labile Hypertension
High blood pressure is especially concerning if you develop it when you are in your teens or early twenties or you are over the age of 60. While it still requires medical attention, it’s normal to develop high blood pressure in your 40s, especially if you have a family history of high blood pressure. Regardless of age, your doctor will try to distinguish between true hypertension and labile hypertension concerns. Your doctor will pursue a labile hypertension diagnosis by giving you a 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitor. If the results show unusual spikes in blood pressure, your doctor will search for the underlying cause.Treating Labile Hypertension
If your doctor determines that a medication or a lifestyle choice is contributing to your labile hypertension symptoms, they’ll ask you to make changes in those to improve your health. They may also prescribe a different medication or suggest that you make changes like:- Quitting smoking
- Drinking less alcohol
- Eating a healthier diet
- Losing weight
- Exercising more
- Sleep apnea
- Cardiovascular disease
- Kidney disease
- Adrenal glands problems