Which is more dangerous, low blood pressure or high blood pressure?

Written by Zhang Yue Mei

Cardiology

Updated on September 01, 2024

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Blood pressure is a crucial indicator for maintaining human life. Both low blood pressure and high blood pressure can pose significant risks to the body. High blood pressure can lead to arteriosclerosis, and prolonged high blood pressure can cause cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, with severe cases leading to cerebral ischemia and myocardial infarction. Low blood pressure affects the blood supply to vital organs and also brings negative factors to the body. Extremely low blood pressure can also endanger human life. Therefore, whether it is low blood pressure or high blood pressure, it should be correctly treated and improved under the guidance of a doctor to ensure the health of the body.

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Written by Zhang Lu

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Symptoms of Hypertension in Pregnant Women

During pregnancy, if a pregnant woman develops high blood pressure, initially there are no symptoms, because at the beginning the blood pressure just slightly exceeds 140/90mmHg. If the high blood pressure is only temporary, it generally does not affect the woman's body and therefore, she may not experience any symptoms. As the condition progresses, the symptoms of high blood pressure can cause physical harm to the woman, likely damaging the kidneys and causing proteinuria. The loss of protein can lead to edema in women, and as a result, many women's initial symptoms will appear as generalized swelling, which does not improve with rest. By measuring blood pressure and urinary protein, symptoms of hypertension in pregnant women can be detected. In the later stages of the disease, hypertension may sometimes be accompanied by dizziness, indigestion, and mild pain in the lower abdomen, which are all symptoms of hypertension in pregnant women.

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Written by Li Qiang

Intensive Care Unit

1min 27sec

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The difference between hypertensive encephalopathy and malignant hypertension

Hypertensive encephalopathy and malignant hypertension are two critical conditions that can occur in patients with hypertension, both triggered by a sudden and drastic increase in blood pressure in a short period. Literally, hypertensive encephalopathy focuses on the severe rise in blood pressure in a short term, causing some damage to the nervous system. The main mechanism is due to the too rapid increase in blood pressure over a short period, exceeding the self-regulation range of cerebral blood vessels. At this time, the pressure in the cerebral vessels increases sharply, causing the components of the blood in the cerebral vessels to spill over into the brain tissue, manifesting some neurological symptoms, mainly severe headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, seizures, convulsions, and even herniation of the brain, all due to brain edema and intracranial hypertension. Malignant hypertension covers a broader range than hypertensive encephalopathy. Besides the neurological symptoms mentioned above, it also affects other systems, such as acute proteinuria, renal failure, and acute heart failure, focusing on the impact on multiple systems throughout the body, including the brain. Hypertensive encephalopathy is more focused on the reactions in the brain, so these two conditions have a common pathogenesis but focus on different aspects.

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Written by Wang Ji Zhong

Internal Medicine

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The difference between hypertensive crisis and hypertensive encephalopathy

Both hypertensive encephalopathy and hypertensive crisis involve a rapid increase in blood pressure, symptoms of headache, restlessness, nausea and vomiting, palpitations, shortness of breath, and blurred vision, with systolic pressure increasing to 200 mmHg and diastolic pressure to 120 mmHg, typically presenting similar clinical blood pressure readings. The main difference between the two is that hypertensive encephalopathy is based on excessively high blood pressure in patients with severe hypertension. Furthermore, hypertensive encephalopathy can lead to clinical signs of cerebral edema and increased intracranial pressure, whereas hypertensive crisis occurs when blood pressure suddenly rises over a short period, causing symptoms due to excessive secretion of catecholamines driven by increased sympathetic nervous excitement.

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Written by Zhang Yue Mei

Cardiology

56sec

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How to Read a Blood Pressure Monitor for High Blood Pressure

As living standards improve, a blood pressure monitor has become an essential medical device in households. Electronic blood pressure monitors are very convenient for measuring blood pressure, especially for patients with hypertension. They allow patients to measure their blood pressure timely and adjust medication dosages accordingly. How to read a blood pressure monitor varies with different models. Typically, on an electronic blood pressure monitor, the first line displays the systolic pressure, also known as high blood pressure; the second line displays the diastolic pressure, also known as low blood pressure; and the third line displays the heart rate. These readings can help you know your systolic and diastolic pressures.

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Written by Zhang Yue Mei

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Symptoms of hypertension

Hypertension is a common and frequently occurring disease clinically. Mild hypertension often has no clinical symptoms and is usually detected during physical examinations when measuring blood pressure reveals an increase. In cases of severe hypertension, individuals with long-term high blood pressure may experience dizziness, a feeling of pressure in the head, and headaches. In serious cases, symptoms can include tinnitus and palpitations, requiring the use of effective antihypertensive medications for management. If patients with hypertension do not use medications to manage their condition, long-term high blood pressure can cause significant harm to the body, leading to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, hypertension-induced heart disease, and stroke. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor.)