Malignant hypertension, when blood pressure rises rapidly

Have your blood pressure test results been increasing frequently? Don't underestimate it when this happens, especially if the development is very fast. This condition is called malignant hypertension. So, what are the symptoms and dangers and how to deal with them? Check out the full review here.

What is malignant hypertension?

Malignant hypertension (emergency hypertension) is an increase in blood pressure that develops very quickly, reaching 180/120 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or above. Whereas in general, normal blood pressure ranges below 120/80 mm Hg.

This condition cannot be underestimated, because it can easily attack organs in the body, especially the eyes, brain, heart, and kidneys. A person should get medical care as soon as possible if he has malignant hypertension. If not, the organ damage will become more severe and serious or even cause death.

Malignant hypertension is very rare. The American Urological Association says this condition occurs in 1-5 percent of people with hypertension. One of the contributing factors is reducing doses, skipping drinking, or stopping high blood pressure medications.

Apart from hypertension sufferers, although very rare, hypertension emergencies can also occur in someone who does not have a history of high blood pressure. This condition is more common in men, someone who smokes, uses certain drugs, such as birth control pills, and monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) antidepressant drugs, and uses illegal drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines.

In addition, pregnant women are also at risk of experiencing this type of hypertension, especially those who experience preeclampsia during pregnancy. Apart from these conditions, certain medical conditions can also trigger the appearance of malignant hypertension, such as:

Kidney illness.
Autoimmune disorders, such as scleroderma.
Renal artery stenosis of the kidneys.
Injury to the spinal cord nerves in the spine.
Tumors of the adrenal glands.

What are the signs and symptoms of malignant hypertension?

The appearance of malignant hypertension is indicated by the measurement of blood pressure reaching 180/120 mm Hg or more. This condition is accompanied by various symptoms of hypertension emergency, which can vary from person to person. Here are some of the common symptoms:

Blurred vision.
Chest pain.
Cough.
Dizzy.
Numbness in the arms, legs and face.
Severe headaches.
Hard to breathe.
Nausea and vomiting.
Oliguria or small amount of urine.
Seizures.
Excessive anxiety, confusion (dazed), restlessness, decreased ability to concentrate, drowsiness, or even fainting.

How do doctors diagnose hypertension emergency?

To diagnose malignant hypertension, your doctor will initially ask you all of your medical history, including any medications and treatments you've ever had to treat high blood pressure.

Next, the doctor will measure blood pressure, check your heart rate using a stethoscope, check for damage to the retinal blood vessels, and discuss any signs and symptoms you are experiencing. This is useful for determining whether further examination is needed or not.

If so, usually the doctor will perform a follow-up examination to see if your condition is causing organ damage or not.

BUN test

Generally, the doctor will ask to do a test or check the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level and creatinine level.

Through the BUN test you will see whether your kidneys are functioning properly. Abnormal kidneys are a sign you have malignant hypertension.

Blood tests, heart function tests and other tests

In addition to the BUN test, your doctor may also ask you to do other tests or examinations. Here are some tests or examinations that you might do:

Blood test.
Echocardiography to see heart function.
Electrocardiography (EKG) or heart record to measure the electrical function of the heart.
Urine test.
Ultrasound of the kidneys to see if there are additional kidney problems.
CT scan or MRI of the brain to detect bleeding or stroke.
Chest x-ray or X-rays to check the condition of the heart and lungs.

How to treat malignant hypertension?

Maglinal hypertension is a life-threatening emergency, so it requires medical attention as soon as possible. Handling of emergency hypertension needs to be done in the hospital and often in the emergency room and ICU (intensive care unit).You may also need to stay in the hospital, until your blood pressure is controlled.

In treating patients with malignant hypertension, the main thing to do is to quickly lower blood pressure, but still be careful. If your blood pressure is lowered too quickly, your body will find it difficult to get blood to the brain, which can lead to other health problems.

Generally, the first treatment is given, namely administering blood pressure-lowering drugs or antihypertensive drugs intravenously or intravenously. Once your blood pressure has stabilized enough, your doctor will prescribe an oral (drink) blood pressure medication. These medicines aim to make it easier for you to control blood pressure at home.

In addition, other treatments may be given depending on the symptoms and cause of the hypertension emergency you are experiencing. If there is a buildup of fluid in your lungs, the doctor will usually give you a diuretic to help drain the fluid.

Are there any complications caused by the hypertension emergency?

Malignant hypertension is an emergency condition, which needs immediate medical attention. If left untreated and not treated immediately, it can increase the risk of complications from hypertension. The following are complications of diseases that may occur due to hypertension emergencies:

Pulmonary edema, accumulation of fluid in the lungs.
Heart attack.
Heart failure.
Kidney failure.
Stroke.
Blindness.

If you have developed a more serious health problem, you may need to get other treatment and medication. If the hypertension emergency you are experiencing has progressed to kidney failure, you may need to do regular dialysis.

What can be done to prevent malignant hypertension?

Malignant hypertension is a serious condition that can be life threatening. Therefore, it is important for you to prevent this hypertension emergency from occurring. The main factors in preventing it, namely keeping your blood pressure under control, avoiding all diseases that can cause malignant hypertension, as well as other habits that are the trigger factors.

To be able to maintain blood pressure, you need to check your blood pressure regularly, take hypertension medication regularly and regularly according to the dosage and provisions from your doctor, and adopt a healthy lifestyle for people with hypertension, including exercise, avoiding smoking and alcohol, reducing stress, and adopt a healthy diet through the DASH diet.

You also need to always consult with your doctor if you want to take certain drugs, especially those that can cause high blood pressure, such as birth control pills or antidepressant drugs. Illegal drugs, such as cocaine, you also need to avoid.

In addition, you also need to treat and treat every disease you suffer, especially if this disease can cause malignant hypertension. Consult with your doctor to overcome the disease, so as not to develop other health problems that are not expected.