Is Stage 1 high blood pressure serious?

The higher your blood pressure is, the greater your risk of developing blood pressure-related complications such as heart disease, heart failure, stroke, or kidney failure. The first stage of hypertension is called stage 1 hypertension.
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Should I worry about stage 1 hypertension?

Read More About High Blood Pressure Prevention »

If your blood pressure is between 140/90 and 159/99, you have stage 1 hypertension and need treatment. Stage 2 hypertension is 160/100 or higher. And if your blood pressure is higher than 180/110, you need emergency care.
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What can happen if you have stage 1 hypertension?

Prehypertension is a warning sign that you may get high blood pressure in the future. High blood pressure increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, coronary heart disease, heart failure, and kidney failure. There's no cure for high blood pressure, but there is treatment with diet, lifestyle habits, and medications.
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What are the causes of stage 1 hypertension?

Common factors that can lead to high blood pressure include:
  • A diet high in salt, fat, and/or cholesterol.
  • Chronic conditions such as kidney and hormone problems, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
  • Family history, especially if your parents or other close relatives have high blood pressure.
  • Lack of physical activity.
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Does stage 1 hypertension require medication?

130/80 to 139/89 (stage 1 hypertension): You might need medication. These numbers qualify as high blood pressure and you need to take action. But your doctor will probably suggest that you try out lifestyle changes first before adding drugs -- unless you have other health problems.
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Hypertension Explained Clearly - Causes, Diagnosis, Medications, Treatment, Pathophysiology



How long can you live with stage 1 hypertension?

If left untreated, a blood pressure of 180/120 or higher results in an 80% chance of death within one year, with an average survival rate of ten months. Prolonged, untreated high blood pressure can also lead to heart attack, stroke, blindness, and kidney disease.
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How can I lower my stage 1 hypertension without medication?

Here are 10 lifestyle changes you can make to lower your blood pressure and keep it down.
  1. Lose extra pounds and watch your waistline. ...
  2. Exercise regularly. ...
  3. Eat a healthy diet. ...
  4. Reduce sodium in your diet. ...
  5. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink. ...
  6. Quit smoking. ...
  7. Cut back on caffeine. ...
  8. Reduce your stress.
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What is stroke level blood pressure?

A hypertensive crisis is a severe increase in blood pressure that can lead to a stroke. Extremely high blood pressure — a top number (systolic pressure) of 180 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or higher or a bottom number (diastolic pressure) of 120 mm Hg or higher — can damage blood vessels.
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How high is your blood pressure before a stroke?

Blood pressure readings above 180/120 mmHg are considered stroke-level, dangerously high, and require immediate medical attention.
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How can I bring my blood pressure down immediately?

If you are trying to rapidly lower your blood pressure at home, dial 9-1-1 immediately. You cannot safely treat dangerous high blood pressure at home. Your best move is to lie down flat and calm yourself until emergency help arrives.
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What is the initial treatment for stage 1 hypertension?

Initial first-line therapy for stage 1 hypertension includes thiazide diuretics, CCBs, and ACE inhibitors or ARBs. Two first-line drugs of different classes are recommended with stage 2 hypertension and average BP of 20/10 mm Hg above the BP target.
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How long can you have high blood pressure before it causes damage?

In other words, once blood pressure rises above normal, subtle but harmful brain changes can occur rather quickly—perhaps within a year or two. And those changes may be hard to reverse, even if blood pressure is nudged back into the normal range with treatment.
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Can stage 1 hypertension cause headaches?

The only case where hypertension appears to cause a headache is with a hypertensive crisis. This occurs when blood pressure soars to 180/120 mm Hg or higher.
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Is hypertension a death sentence?

But high blood pressure isn't a death sentence. Just ask the countless patients who've controlled the “silent killer.” Their progress is in no small part thanks to education and evidence-based medicine, which the American Heart Association (AHA) argues are key to managing blood pressure.
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Is it possible to live long with high blood pressure?

While it's theoretically possible that you can live a long life with high blood pressure, the odds are not in your favor. It makes more sense to heed your hypertension risks and learn how treatment can improve your hypertension prognosis and life expectancy.
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How do you feel when you have high blood pressure?

Blood pressure is mostly a silent disease

Unfortunately, high blood pressure can happen without feeling any abnormal symptoms. Moderate or severe headaches, anxiety, shortness of breath, nosebleeds, palpitations, or feeling of pulsations in the neck are some signs of high blood pressure.
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What is the highest blood pressure ever recorded?

The highest pressure recorded in an individual was 370/360. With slow exhalation, the mean BP was 198/175 when the same 100% maximum was lifted (p < . 005).
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How do hospitals treat high blood pressure?

Vasodilators such as nitroprusside and nitroglycerin are also used to treat a hypertensive emergency. The goal of therapy for a hypertensive emergency is to lower the mean arterial pressure by no more than 25% within minutes to 1 hour and then stabilize BP at 160/100-110 mm Hg within the next 2 to 6 hours.
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Is 150 90 A good blood pressure?

As a general guide: high blood pressure is considered to be 140/90mmHg or higher (or 150/90mmHg or higher if you're over the age of 80) ideal blood pressure is usually considered to be between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg.
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Can anxiety cause high blood pressure?

Anxiety doesn't cause long-term high blood pressure (hypertension). But episodes of anxiety can cause dramatic, temporary spikes in blood pressure.
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Which blood pressure number is more important?

The systolic blood pressure reflects the pressure over the heart, whereas the diastolic blood pressure reflects the status of the blood pressure. Though both readings are important, many doctors believe that systolic blood pressure is a better predictor of complications of hypertension, such as heart disease or stroke.
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What vitamins should you take for high blood pressure?

Foods high in vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, selenium or L-arginine are good options if you're looking to lower your blood pressure. Antioxidants protect your cells from damage and can reduce inflammation, which, in turn, can keep blood pressure in control.
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What exercises should be avoided with high blood pressure?

Exercises to avoid

For example, any exercise that is very intensive for short periods of time, such as sprinting or weightlifting. They raise your blood pressure very quickly and put too much strain on your heart and blood vessels.
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What is the quickest natural way to lower blood pressure?

6 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure
  1. Eat less salt. “Cutting your salt intake is probably the most important way to lower your blood pressure. ...
  2. Consume more potassium. ...
  3. Adopt the DASH diet. ...
  4. Lose weight. ...
  5. Limit alcohol use. ...
  6. Get physical.
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