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 Chen Tian Hua

Cardiology

43sec

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Can high blood pressure be hereditary?

Hypertension has a certain level of heritability, and research indicates that if parents have hypertension, their children’s risk of developing this condition significantly increases. Of course, genetic factors are only one of the reasons for the development of hypertension. The presence of genetic factors does not necessarily lead to hypertension; postnatal environmental factors are also very important. Maintaining good lifestyle habits over time, including healthy dietary habits, regular physical exercise, reasonable weight control, and a positive mindset can help prevent hypertension. Moreover, even without a family history of hypertension, poor lifestyle habits can still lead to the development of the condition.

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Written by Chen Tian Hua

Cardiology

45sec

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Is high diastolic pressure considered high blood pressure?

If the diastolic blood pressure exceeds 90 mmHg, hypertension should also be considered. Patients with a high diastolic blood pressure who do not actively undergo hypotensive treatment can suffer long-term damage to target organs such as the heart, brain, and kidneys, as well as severe hypertensive complications. For patients with high diastolic blood pressure, it is also necessary to adopt effective lifestyle adjustments and choose clinically frontline antihypertensive drugs for long-term treatment. Only by effectively controlling elevated diastolic pressure in the long term can severe target organ damage and hypertensive complications be avoided, thus improving the clinical prognosis for patients with hypertension.

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Written by Tang Li

Cardiology

53sec

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Hypertensive crisis blood pressure values

At any stage of hypertension development and other disease emergencies, severe life-threatening blood pressure increases can occur, requiring emergency treatment. Hypertensive crises include hypertensive emergencies and hypertensive urgencies. Hypertensive emergencies refer to severe blood pressure increases within a short time—hours or days—with diastolic pressure greater than 130 mmHg and/or systolic pressure greater than 180 mmHg, accompanied by severe dysfunction or irreversible damage to critical organs and tissues such as the heart, brain, kidneys, retina, and major arteries. Hypertensive urgencies may present as increased blood pressure but without obvious target organ damage.

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Written by Li Qiang

Intensive Care Unit

1min 31sec

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Difference between hypertensive encephalopathy and malignant hypertension

The difference between hypertensive encephalopathy and malignant hypertension can be discerned from their names, indicating they are different conditions. Hypertensive encephalopathy refers to a condition where blood pressure rises sharply in a short period, with diastolic pressure exceeding 120 mmHg and systolic pressure exceeding 200 mmHg. This dramatic increase in blood pressure causes cerebral vasospasm and increased cerebral perfusion pressure, leading to various manifestations of cerebral edema, primarily severe headache, nausea, vomiting, seizures, and even brain herniation. The emphasis is on the rapid rise in blood pressure over a short term and its impact on the brain, specifically cerebral edema. Malignant hypertension also involves a rapid increase in blood pressure to extremely high levels over a short period. However, the focus of malignant hypertension is on the impact on multiple organs throughout the body, including the brain, but also severely affecting the heart, potentially causing acute left heart failure and pulmonary edema. In the kidneys, it can lead to acute renal failure, characterized by reduced urine output or anuria. Thus, malignant hypertension emphasizes the effects on multiple vital organs, whereas hypertensive encephalopathy focuses primarily on the impact on the brain and central nervous system. Hence, there are some distinctions between the two conditions.

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Written by Li Hai Wen

Cardiology

53sec

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Normal blood pressure, high blood pressure, and low blood pressure ranges.

Normal adult systolic blood pressure is between 90-139mmHg, and diastolic pressure is between 60-89mmHg. When the systolic pressure exceeds 140mmHg and the diastolic pressure exceeds 90mmHg, this condition is medically referred to as hypertension. When the systolic pressure is below 90mmHg and the diastolic pressure is below 60mmHg, this condition is medically referred to as hypotension. Regardless of whether it is hypertension or hypotension, it often causes symptoms in patients, such as headache, dizziness, and fatigue. Therefore, whether it is hypertension or hypotension, one should visit the hospital's department of cardiology for a formal examination. The doctor will assess the situation on-site to determine if treatment is necessary and how to administer it.