Beware of high blood pressure in the morning

The article was professionally consulted by Doctor General Internal Medicine Doctor - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.

In hypertension, there is morning hypertension. This is a rather dangerous form of disease because of its high mortality rate and many serious complications. However, patients often pay little attention to this condition.

Blood pressure often changes throughout the day depending on the person's food, lifestyle, and emotions. For many people, blood pressure often rises early in the morning, also known as morning hypertension.
Many researchers find that morning hypertension increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as stroke. Even patients with well-controlled blood pressure still have up to 50% of morning blood pressure higher than normal.

Hypertensive patients, especially those with morning hypertension, have a higher risk of stroke than patients with hypertension at other times. High blood pressure can cause a stroke, a sudden loss of brain function due to lack of blood supply to the brain.
There are two types of strokes that are ischemic or hemorrhagic. A stroke caused by a blood clot is called an ischemic stroke, which is the most common form, accounting for 85% of the 600,000 strokes that occur each year. Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel bursts in the brain.
Morning hypertension can also increase the risk of other heart and blood vessel problems. It is associated with changes in heart rate and heart size, which can lead to a heart attack or heart failure. Contact a specialist immediately if you experience symptoms such as severe headache, chest pain, and numbness or tingling in your face or arms.

Here are the possible causes of morning high blood pressure:
Due to the body's normal circadian rhythm. In the morning, the body releases many hormones such as adrenaline and noradrenaline, which are hormones that give you energy but also raise blood pressure; Medications: Certain medications can cause temporary high blood pressure, such as steroids used to treat asthma, autoimmune diseases, skin problems, or severe allergies. If you take these drugs early in the morning, your blood pressure is likely to rise; Excessive alcohol use can also cause early morning high blood pressure;

Sleep apnea: Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that causes the upper airway to narrow, the respiratory muscles to stop moving, breathing to stop temporarily, and breathing to become shallower, this lasts throughout the night. Sleep apnea puts stress on the body, increases adrenaline levels and increases blood pressure. The most common symptoms of sleep apnea are loud snoring, poor sleep quality, and excessive daytime sleepiness.

People with high blood pressure Type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes People over 65 years old People who use alcohol, tobacco People who are overweight, obese People with high blood cholesterol

Doctors often recommend that patients regularly monitor their blood pressure at home to identify the risk of morning hypertension. Your blood pressure should be checked in the morning, about an hour after waking up, and in the evening about an hour before going to bed, measured on the same arm each time. Taking 3 consecutive measurements (about 1 minute apart) will give a more accurate measurement of your "true" blood pressure. Avoid eating, drinking, using coffee, smoking at least 30 minutes before measuring.
A healthy lifestyle that includes a nutritious diet, avoidance of tobacco and alcohol, and regular physical activity will help protect you from morning hypertension.
If you take blood pressure medication, take it as prescribed by your doctor and keep a blood pressure diary at home. These steps can help prevent heart or blood vessel problems such as stroke.