Blood pressure measurements provide insight into the force blood exerts against artery walls as it circulates throughout the body. This measurement involves two numbers, expressed in millimeters of mercury (mmHg). The first, or upper number, is the systolic pressure, which reflects the force when the heart beats and pumps blood. The second, or lower number, is the diastolic pressure, indicating the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats. Both readings are regularly assessed as a fundamental indicator of cardiovascular health.
Understanding a 179/90 Blood Pressure Reading
A blood pressure reading of 179/90 mmHg indicates an elevated level that requires immediate attention. Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mmHg. Readings between 120-129 mmHg systolic and less than 80 mmHg diastolic are categorized as elevated, while Stage 1 hypertension is 130-139 mmHg systolic or 80-89 mmHg diastolic. Stage 2 hypertension is defined as 140 mmHg systolic or higher, or 90 mmHg diastolic or higher.
A reading of 179/90 mmHg falls within the “Hypertensive Crisis” range, which includes readings of 180/120 mmHg or greater. This crisis has two types: hypertensive urgency and hypertensive emergency. Hypertensive urgency describes severely elevated blood pressure without acute organ damage. A hypertensive emergency involves blood pressure at this severe level with new or worsening damage to organs like the brain, heart, or kidneys. Even without symptoms, a reading like 179/90 mmHg requires prompt medical evaluation to prevent organ damage.
Immediate Steps to Take
If you get a 179/90 mmHg reading at home, sit quietly for a few minutes and re-measure to confirm. If the reading remains elevated, contact a healthcare professional or seek immediate medical care. This applies even without symptoms, as sustained high pressure can damage blood vessels without immediate signs.
If the high reading is accompanied by symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, severe headache, blurred vision, numbness, weakness, confusion, nausea, vomiting, or seizures, contact emergency medical services immediately. These symptoms can indicate organ damage, signifying a hypertensive emergency. Medical professionals will conduct an assessment, which may include blood tests, a chest X-ray, or an electrocardiogram, to determine if organ damage is present. Treatment could involve oral medications for urgency or intravenous medications in a hospital for an emergency, aimed at gradually or rapidly lowering blood pressure.
Managing High Blood Pressure Long-Term
Once a severely elevated blood pressure reading is addressed, establishing a long-term management plan is important. High blood pressure can result from factors including genetic predisposition, diet, insufficient physical activity, and chronic stress. Underlying medical conditions like kidney disease, diabetes, or sleep apnea can also contribute to or worsen hypertension. Addressing these factors is a comprehensive approach to sustained blood pressure control.
Lifestyle modifications are a substantial part of long-term high blood pressure management. Adopting the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan is recommended. This diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy, while limiting saturated and total fats, red meat, sweets, and sugary beverages. Reducing sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams per day, and ideally to 1,500 milligrams, can lower blood pressure. Regular physical activity, aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise weekly alongside strength training on two or more days, also decreases blood pressure by approximately 5 to 8 mmHg.
Maintaining a healthy weight is another strategy, as even a modest weight reduction of 5% can contribute to lower blood pressure. Limiting alcohol to one drink per day for women and two for men, managing stress through relaxation techniques, and quitting smoking are additional interventions that support healthier blood pressure. In many cases, lifestyle adjustments are complemented by prescription medications like diuretics, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), calcium channel blockers, or beta-blockers, which work to lower blood pressure. Consistent monitoring of blood pressure at home and regular follow-up appointments with healthcare providers are also important to ensuring the effectiveness of the management plan.
Risks of Unmanaged High Blood Pressure
Sustained high blood pressure, particularly at levels like 179/90 mmHg, can damage the body’s arteries and organs if left unmanaged. The constant force against artery walls can lead to their hardening and narrowing, a process known as atherosclerosis, which impedes blood flow. This chronic strain increases the risk of health complications affecting various organ systems.
Uncontrolled high blood pressure raises the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, which occur when blood flow to the heart or brain is reduced or blocked. It can also lead to heart failure, where the heart muscle weakens and struggles to pump enough blood. Kidney disease and kidney failure are also outcomes, as high pressure damages the blood vessels within the kidneys. Unmanaged hypertension can also contribute to vision loss, aneurysms—weakened, bulging areas in artery walls that can rupture—and vascular dementia, affecting cognitive functions.