Labile hypertension causes fluctuation in blood pressure, which can be caused by lifestyle factors or serious diseases. Diagnosis is difficult as it may not be present during doctor visits. Treatment may involve lifestyle changes or ruling out serious conditions.
Labile hypertension is the fluctuation of blood pressure beyond what is considered normal. Blood pressure readings will sometimes be high and sometimes normal in patients with this disorder. While lifestyle, including exercise, diet, and stress, may explain some of these changes, labile hypertension can occasionally be caused by serious disease. As with other problems related to high blood pressure, there are often no symptoms, which is why it’s important to check your blood pressure frequently.
Patients are said to have hypertension if the systolic blood pressure is over 140 or the diastolic blood pressure is over 90. In patients with labile hypertension, the blood pressure is sometimes read at a number above this limit, and sometimes it is show as normal. This makes diagnosing this type of high blood pressure difficult because it may not be present while the patient is in the doctor’s office.
It is normal for blood pressure to fluctuate widely throughout the day. In many cases, the systolic blood pressure can fluctuate by 30 points or more and the diastolic by 10 points or more. Heavy exercise and stress can cause dramatic changes in blood pressure. A doctor determines whether the changes a patient is experiencing are normal or are indicative of labile hypertension.
While this condition is not uncommon, in some cases it can be an indicator of the presence of a serious disease. Eating certain foods, especially foods containing large amounts of sodium, can temporarily raise your blood pressure by a significant amount. A brain tumor may also be responsible for this type of labile hypertension, although it is an extremely rare condition.
The unstable nature of labile hypertension makes it difficult for doctors to treat the condition with the drugs that are usually given for high blood pressure. Doctors may be reluctant to prescribe these drugs because there is a risk of lowering blood pressure too much. If the condition is thought to have been caused by anxiety, treating your anxiety may allow your blood pressure to return to normal. It may also be possible for a patient to make changes to exercise routines and diet that can lower blood pressure and help make pressure changes less extreme. Medical professionals may also want to rule out a more serious condition, such as a brain tumor, before starting conservative treatments.
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