Very high blood pressure, how serious?

[Blossomflowers]

Someone very close to me has just had a blood pressure reading of 194/ 116, this was @ GP, I have a home monitoring machine and came out the same on mine. He has constant head aches an so on constant painkillers. Also vomiting in the morning, going back to GP in a couple of days but this seems very serious. Does anyone have experience of this?

116 is pretty high, but not in the 'immediate panic' category. What did the GP say? Just to come back to check it again? If so, then try not to fret.

You could try getting them to take it a few times with the home kit to see if it is always that high - some people find doctors stressful and it goes up just at the sight of them!

There are lifestyle things that can help - losing weight if it's above the recommended BMI, reducing salt and sugar intake if they are high.

Then there are various sorts of pills the GP would be able to try. Did he mention the other symptoms to the GP?

We did test @ home and still very, 194 seems extremely high, he is not over weight but drinks too much. GP has called him back tomorrow must impress on him to tell about blinding headaches, blurred vision and vomiting. Typical bloke hates going to doctors. I am worried tbh

Glad he is going to GP again, if retested and remains this high he will need treatment, as a nurse I would refer a patient with this blood pressure, the systolic (top no) is very high but now we also worry about the diastolic (bottom no) anything over 100 is cause for concern!

Hope he gets it sorted I'm not surprised he has headache with this blood pressure.

Thank lily I guess GP must be concerned as seeing him again so quickly, our machine is calibrated. They are going to do blood tests, particularly worrying as his mum died @ young age from a stroke. I am telling him to keep calm but sure he is very concerned

Definitely make sure he mentions the morning headaches, vomiting and blurred vision. Those symptoms might need further investigation.

Thanks, bunny not just morning head aches but constant, can not function without painkillers. I hope he will tell GP all otherwise she can not help properly.I am very worried about stroke as mum died @ 54, he is 48.

I had similar blood pressure in my 20's which was discovered incidentally when I was playing about with a relatives home monitor. I went to the GP who was v surprised at how high it was. He re-checked it after the surgery had finished and then sent me to A&E. They did some basic tests and sent me home with a referral for cardiology 6 weeks later. I didn't however have the headaches or double vision or vomiting that you mention. YY he absolutely MUST mention those to the GP.

Cardiology did lots of kidney function and heart tests and prescribed medication which I've had to take ever since (now in mid-50's). For the past 10 years I've been on 4 types of medication for it and annual blood tests/eye tests show no damage to arteries, heart/kidney. I feel lucky that it was discovered. The real danger is the people who are walking around with high BP and have no idea.

The more anxious your friend/rellie gets the more it will raise his BP so he needs to try do things to try relax himself - controlled slow breathing, relaxation videos on youtube - anything that he is willing to try.

If no precise reason can be found for the high BP, then cutting out salt, no smoking, minimal alcohol, keeping weight under control and 30/40 mins walking or other exercise on most days, as well as taking any prescribed meds without fail, is a good regime.

Agree with the PP who said how important it is to mention.the morning vomiting and headaches. Could be absolutely nothing or something as simple as severe anxiety but it needs checking out.