Home · What to do · High blood pressure: what to do and when to call

High blood pressure: what to do and when to call

Blood pressure of 180/110 is not itself an emergency — it becomes one when it damages an organ: chest pain, weakness on one side, breathlessness, blurred vision. The common mistake is to lower pressure fast: dropping it by more than a quarter within an hour can cause a stroke rather than prevent one.

Call now +7 (985) 887-82-52dispatch line, 24/7 (Russian-speaking)

Write to usWhatsApp Telegram MAX

What to do right now

Sit, calm down, measure again after 5 minutes
Anxiety alone can add 20–30 points. Measure on the arm, sitting, after five minutes of rest.
Take your prescribed drug
The one your doctor gave you for these situations — captopril 25 mg under the tongue or moxonidine 0.2–0.4 mg are the usual choices. Do not invent a new drug now.
Lower it slowly
The target is a 20–25 % drop within 2 hours, not "normal at once". Re-measure every 20–30 minutes.
Sit with legs down, breathe slowly
Deep breathing with a long exhale genuinely lowers pressure.
Write the numbers down
Readings with times — the doctor needs the trend, not one figure.

Call an ambulance if

Chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath at rest
Weakness in an arm or leg, drooping face, slurred speech, severe headache with vomiting
Visual disturbance, double vision, flashing lights
Pressure stays above 180/110 after two hours and two doses of your drug
Nosebleed that will not stop, blood in the urine
Pregnancy with pressure above 140/90

What not to do

Do not lower pressure sharply with several drugs at once
Do not take nifedipine under the tongue — an outdated and dangerous habit
Do not take a hot bath or apply mustard plasters
Do not ignore a crisis that "passed by itself" — see your doctor about the regimen

What the crew does

Blood pressure on both arms, ECG, oxygen saturation, neurological check
Controlled pressure reduction with injectable drugs
Assessment for stroke, heart attack and pulmonary oedema
Hospital admission if an organ is affected; otherwise treatment at home with recommendations

This page is for information and does not replace a medical examination. If the condition worsens, call the crew: +7 (985) 887-82-52.

This page in Russian: Russian version.

Questions

How much does a call-out for a hypertensive crisis cost in Moscow?

Call-out 6,000 ₽ inside the MKAD; ECG, injections and infusion are charged by the price list. A typical visit with an ECG and injection is 15,000–20,000 ₽.

Pressure is high but I feel fine — do I need an ambulance?

If there are no symptoms and the reading is below 180/110, take your usual medication and see your doctor about the regimen. Ambulances are for symptoms, not numbers.

Which hospital will I be taken to?

If a stroke or heart attack is suspected — to the nearest specialised centre by the dispatch order, under compulsory insurance.