How to deal with sudden high blood pressure

Patients can drink some water, rest, relax and practice breathing exercises on the spot to temporarily stabilize blood pressure.

Hypertension occurs when the systolic blood pressure index is ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure is ≥90 mmHg. Master, Doctor, CKII Huynh Thanh Kieu, Head of Cardiology Department 1, Cardiovascular Center, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said that hypertension causes the pressure of blood on the artery walls to be too high. Some untreated cases can lead to complications such as heart failure, stroke... The doctor suggested some ways to temporarily lower blood pressure.

Drink some water: Hydrate your body so your heart can pump better. Chronic dehydration can lead to high blood pressure because your body reacts by constricting your blood vessels. Drinking a glass of water may not lower your blood pressure right away, but it can help stabilize it temporarily.

Move away from the crowd: People who are in a crowded place and feel a sudden increase in blood pressure should move to a place with open space, fresh air, and fewer people.

Rest and try to relax : Stress and anxiety can increase blood pressure. Close your eyes, rest your body, or do activities that calm your mind to lower your blood pressure.

Practice breathing exercises : Patients practice breathing exercises to bring their heart rate back to normal and increase relaxation. Take a deep breath, hold it for about two seconds, then slowly exhale. Pause for a moment and repeat until you feel better.

People with sudden high blood pressure should lie down, relax and drink some water to stabilize blood pressure. Photo: Freepik — People with sudden high blood pressure should lie down, relax and drink some water. Photo: *Freepik*

Eat some dark chocolate : The flavonoids in dark chocolate can stimulate the endothelium, the inner lining of the arteries, to produce nitric oxide (NO). One of the functions of NO is to dilate blood vessels, reducing resistance to blood flow, thereby lowering blood pressure. However, people with diabetes should eat in moderation because this food is high in sugar.

Warm bath: Soaking in a bath or shower for about 15 minutes can lower blood pressure because the warmth helps blood vessels dilate.

These methods can only reduce blood pressure temporarily and cannot replace medical treatment. Dr. Kieu noted that patients need to see a doctor to find the cause and take medication as prescribed. When there are unusual symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, back pain, numbness, decreased consciousness, difficulty speaking, blurred vision, nausea or vomiting, blood pressure above 180/120 mm Hg... need to quickly go to the emergency room.

Dr. Kieu recommends that patients implement a long-term care plan and maintain certain healthy eating and living habits to stabilize blood pressure. Some measures include losing weight (if overweight); quitting smoking; reducing alcohol and caffeine intake; getting enough sleep; and reducing stress.

Patients should eat a diet low in salt, sugar, refined carbohydrates and processed foods because they are not good for blood pressure, and should actively exercise lightly (walking, cycling...) for about 30 minutes a day.

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