Have Raised Blood Pressure. What To Do?

Posted on Sat, 28 Sep 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 28 Sep 2013 Answered on

Mon, 21 Oct 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : My blood pressure is 147 over 104, going through a break up with my girlfriend and stressed to the XXXXXXX should i go to the ER?

Answered by Dr. Kerry Pottinger (-4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Not at present.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for using Healthcare Magic.
This blood pressure is raised. A reading over 140/90 would be considered high. However, it would not be appropriate to make a decision regarding the need for treatment based on one reading. Therefore, I would suggest that you do not need to attend the ER right now. The stress you are experiencing at present may contribute to the blood pressure reading.
I suggest you take your blood pressure two to three times a day, morning, afternoon and evening for a week. If you still have concerns, then a visit to your doctor would be advisable. There are certain lifestyle changes that can help lower blood pressure. These include losing weight if obese, stopping smoking, regular exercise, a low-salt diet, eating adequate fruit and vegetables, cutting down on caffeine.
I hope these comments have been of help. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Regards,
Dr K A Pottinger,
MBChB FRCA

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar