We’ve heard that high blood pressure is unhealthy, but at what point does it become dangerous blood pressure? High blood pressure is usually symptom free, so if you don’t get it tested you may never even know you have it.

High blood pressure over time can be dangerous because it causes your arteries to get harder and can lead to blockages in your blood vessels. This can lead to risk of heart attack and stroke. This situation can be very dangerous, and is.

However, there are situations when blood pressure can become so high that you have an emergency situation on your hands. If your blood pressure goes up to 220/140 mmHg, you can have deadly problems.

Usually blood pressure this high will be accompanied by serious symptoms and is caused by problems such as a stroke or heart attack. You might experience a bad headache or chest pain. This situation can also be caused by a head injury or preeclampsia in women who are pregnant.

If you abuse drugs such as cocaine you can also be put at risk of a dangerous blood pressure emergency. This high level of blood pressure is so serious that it can end your life if you don’t get medical treatment right away.

In addition to a headache or chest pain, you may also feel shortness of breath. Blood pressure this high, for very long,  can cause you to be incapacitated. You can even experience brain damage from this blood pressure. Vision can also be affected.

While there are some situations that come up suddenly due to pregnancy or surgery complications, most people can prevent having high blood pressure that becomes debilitating. It’s important to monitor your blood pressure regularly and to make healthy choices.

So if you have high blood pressure, do not let it go untreated. Some people don’t want to face the fact that they have a serious medical problem and try to ignore it. But by ignoring high blood pressure you increase your risk of having a serious health problem.

Very high blood pressure can be treated with medication before it becomes acutely dangerous. Mildly high blood pressure and even some moderate blood pressure can be lowered by making changes to your diet, exercise program, and stress levels.

If you don’t know what your blood pressure level is, it’s time to start checking it. Your doctor will check it in his or her office but you should also check it regularly on your own. If it seems high, always talk with your doctor about which steps to take.

By keeping tabs on your blood pressure and making healthy lifestyle choices combined with medication, you can avoid having dangerous blood pressure and its deadly consequences.

Now,  invest in your health and pick up something that you can measure your blood pressure on a regular basis with.