Ask
Hello doctor,
I am prone to sudden high blood pressure of 220. Can you tell me whether sudden high blood pressure of 220 is primary or secondary hypertension? My job is driving so should I continue this job? I have a habit of smoking and drinking alcohol but not regularly. I hope for the doctor’s advice, thank you.
Hoang Khuong (1980)
Answer
Answered by Master, Doctor of medicine Dao Kim Phuong - Cardiologist and Echocardiographer - Department of Examination, Vinmec Times City International General Hospital.
Hello,
With the question “Whether sudden high blood pressure of 220 is primary or secondary hypertension?", doctor responds as follows:
You are just 41 years old, your blood pressure has been normal so far but now suddenly increasing to 220 is a sign of secondary hypertension (caused by another medical condition).
With this high blood pressure, you should not drive because driving is a stressful job, requiring high concentration, it’s necessary to bring blood pressure back to a relatively normal level after a few days, monitoring whether or not having neurological symptoms, if it’s stable with medication to maintain normal blood pressure, it’s possible to continue driving.
Drinking alcohol and smoking have a great impact on high blood pressure because both of them have a big impact on cardiovascular health and blood pressure threshold. Smoking can cause a sudden high blood pressure and more systolic hypertension. The nicotine in cigarettes stimulates the nervous system to produce chemicals that constrict blood vessels and increase blood pressure. Smoking also causes long-term damage to blood vessels, increasing the risk of diseases such as stroke, heart disease and heart attack.
Drinking alcohol too much or regularly drinking can injure the heart and lead to cardiomyopathy causing heart failure. Regularly drinking also increases blood pressure. Alcohol stimulates and increases the release of endothelin 1,2 and angiotensin II, which are known as strong vasoconstrictor agents that result in high blood pressure. Binge drinking – four or more drinks for women and five or more drinks for men within a few hours – can lead to stroke, heart arrhythmia and possibly sudden death.
In addition, the combination of smoking and high blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease, stroke or other cardiovascular disease compared to non-smokers with high blood pressure.
To control blood pressure and prevent cardiovascular problems, it is best to stop smoking, rustic tobacco, drink moderate alcohol, have no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men. If you reduce your alcohol consumption, research shows that you can reduce systolic blood pressure by up to 3 mmHg.
If you have any questions about whether sudden high blood pressure of 220 is primary or secondary hypertension, you can go to hospital in the Vinmec Health System for further examination and consultation. Thank you for your trust and questions to Vinmec. Wishing you good health.
Sincerely!
Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.
