Should I see a doctor about my blood pressure?

Question

I am eighteen years old. I've been getting (for lack of a better descripstion) chest spasm for the last year. They are usually quick, sharp pains through the upper chest and leave within minutes. During my last month of school, one day they became much more. I could hardly breathe, I nearly collapsed, my chest was tightenting and the pain was shooting through my chest without any pause. For some odd reason, the nurse measure my blood pressure. It was 145/118. I didn't know anything about blood pressure, but an hour later when she sent me to class, a teacher asked what she'd done and expressed concern over the numbers.

Since then, it hasn't gotten that bad. I still get the chest spasms, but they're like they were to begin with. I'm wondering if I should go to a doctor, though.

Answer 1

Yes, you should see a doctor. The pain over such along time should be investigated. It could be from heart disease, lung disease or something less severe, but still you should have it assessed by a doctor.

When your blood pressure was checked by the nurse, you were in distress (from the chest pain). The stress would likely make your blood pressure go high. I would be surprised if it didn't. Also, a single reading can not indicate high, low or normal blood pressure. Several readings over time must used to make a determination.

See the links below for more specific information on angina (chest pain) and blood pressure.

Good luck,
Terry

Answer 2

Blood pressure can become elevated for many reasons, and in your case it was most likely caused by the chest pain you were experiencing instead of the other way around. The best way to determine if you have high blood pressure is to measure it at multiple different times and record the results. You can often find mechanical cuffs at drug stores or grocery stores that are free to use. They aren't 100% accurate, but they're better than nothing.

Given your age, it's unlikely you would be experiencing problems with long-standing high blood pressure unless you have a lot of relatives with blood pressure problems or if you have had a lot of problems with your kidneys in the past.

As far as the chest pain goes, if it's random and not associated with activity or exertion, it's likely not related to your heart. The most common causes of chest pain in people your age are strains or irritation in the bones and muscles of the rib cage or from heartburn.

That being said, it would probably be a good idea to see your doctor if you have access to health care, so that you can at least get your blood pressure checked again (though it can be occasionally high just from being in the doctor's office), and also to make sure that the doctor doesn't detect anything else that might need further testing.

Answer 3

You probably should see a doctor. That is a pretty high number. The norm is 120/80 so you can see that both top and bottom numbers are high for you. You are not in crisis mode yet with those numbers, but any time your top number is over 145 that is getting to a dangerous level, especially with the chest pains you are experiencing.

Do you eat alot of salty foods or foods high in sodium such as frozen dinners? That can raise your blood pressure. Do you consume a lot of caffeine from soda, coffee, or engery drinks? Those can cause chest pains and higher blood pressure if consumed in large doses.

But I would see a doctor so they can order some tests to make sure you are healthy and check your blood pressure again. It may have been high that day due to your panic over the chest pains, but if it is high every time you check it you will need to look for ways to lower it. Good luck.

Answer 4

I think it's worth establishing a baseline, so if you have a way to get a physical with an electrocardiogram (ECG) and a regular way to monitor your BP, that would be good. If you're having a hard time keeping up with your peers in physical activities or you have continued problems with racing pulse or angina-like symptoms, you might want to dig deeper into potential heart problems.

A digital BP cuff at your local drug store can be a great investment. Ask the pharmacist for a recommendation. You should be able to find one for about $50 that fits you. Taking your resting BP regularly in the morning (sitting in a chair for a few minutes, with your feet flat on the floor). That will give you the regular feedback you need. If your BP is consistently high (above 120/80), you definitely want to go see a doctor and consider lifestyle changes to get it down.

Answer 5

3 years ago, I was diagnosed - hypertension with a reading of 160/100. I used to feel dizzy a lot, my legs had awful cramps, and levels were very low in my potassium, causing my fingers and toes to always cramp together. One day I started to feel really faint while I was driving with my daughter in the back seat and I passed out, hitting 3 cars and ending up in a ditch. That moment,I knew I had to do something because my meds weren't working. I heard about this diet from a friend and thought I'd give it a shot. The results have been remarkable. In just 21 days, I honestly can't remember feeling this good, my blood pressure went from 175/110 to 125/70.

Answer 6

I think you should. At your age 145/118 is very high. You have a heart ailment problem. Your blood pressure shows that something is wrong with your heart. Many factors attributed to the rise of blood pressures. To be sure of it you must consult the doctor so that he can prescribed you with proper medication and what laboratory test you should undergo.

Answer 7

Of course you should go to the doctor. Get checked out and find out the cause for the pain. Your blood pressure was probably just high in reaction to the situation, but let the doctor do his job. Good luck.

Answer 8

Absolutely, see a doctor. That is far too high a pressure, especially for someone your age; a good target is 120/80. There may be a cardiovascular disease process here; your aches sound like angina pectoris.

Answer 9

Go see a doctor! High blood pressure can kill you even if nothing else is wrong, and your numbers are too high.

Answer 10

I had the same thing happen to me and plus I had arrythmia at the same time. I went to the hospital and they sent me to a Cardiology unit and ran lots of tests on me which all of them came out fine. They never found why but they put me on metoprolol and now I'm fine! No more arrythmia and my blood pressure is around 105/60.