Definition, causes, symptoms, treatment, etc.

The word labile refers to something that can change quickly and spontaneously.

Hypertension means blood pressure of 130/80 mm Hg or more.

Labile hypertension is when a person’s blood pressure is not consistently within normal limits, but neither is it consistently high.

Although not all people with labile hypertension have symptoms, a person may experience:

Anxiety and stress can cause labile hypertension. An example of a situation that could cause this could be receiving bad news or waiting for exam results.

Many other factors can also influence blood pressure, including:

There are a few other conditions similar to labile hypertension in which blood pressure fluctuates beyond normal parameters.

White coat hypertension

White coat hypertension (WCH) is a condition in which a person’s blood pressure fluctuates in a medical setting. For example, it can only increase when they are at a doctor’s appointment.

If a person has WCH, blood pressure readings taken by a healthcare professional may not accurately reflect that person’s actual blood pressure.

Masked hypertension

The opposite of WCH is masked hypertension, a condition in which a person’s blood pressure readings from their health care provider are normal, but may be higher at other times.

With masked hypertension, the blood pressure measured by a healthcare professional may be lower than the person’s actual average blood pressure.

Paroxysmal hypertension

A condition similar to labile hypertension is paroxysmal hypertension. This can cause a person’s blood pressure to fluctuate significantly between normal and high.

According to an older article from 2009, where labile hypertension is often situation specific, usually due to stressful events, paroxysmal hypertension appears to be random.

Additionally, labile hypertension can be symptomatic or asymptomatic, while paroxysmal hypertension usually has symptoms, including:

• headache
• rinsing
• weakness
• palpitations
• a fear of death or a stroke
• shortness of breath

The article suggests that paroxysmal hypertension is linked to repressed emotions that may be linked to previous severe emotional trauma. He also notes that some people with paroxysmal hypertension may be prone to lock up their emotions.

In about 2% of cases of paroxysmal hypertension, the cause is related to a tumor called pheochromocytoma.

There is currently no specific treatment for labile hypertension.

Rather, health care professionals may focus on helping a person reduce anxiety and stress specific to the situation.

They can prescribe short-term anti-anxiety medications that people can only use when they have symptoms of anxiety.

This medication could include:

• alprazolam (Xanax)
• clonazepam (Klonopin)
• diazepam (Valium)
• lorazepam (Ativan)

These usually help relieve anxiety symptoms within an hour, but they are not suitable for a person in the long run because they become less effective as the person uses them more often.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that these types of drugs can also be addictive if a person uses them for more than 4 weeks. So, they are a short term option.

Healthcare professionals may also prescribe long-term anti-anxiety medications that a person can take daily to help prevent anxiety.

This medication could include:

• sertraline (Zoloft)
• paroxetine (Paxil)
• escitalopram (Lexapro)
• citalopram (Celexa)

People with labile hypertension might consider investing in a home blood pressure monitor.

This can be especially helpful for people with white coat hypertension, as they can periodically take accurate blood pressure readings without having to see their doctor.

A 2015 study found a correlation between labile hypertension and increased cardiovascular risk.

These included increased risks of:

There are no defined criteria for diagnosing labile hypertension.

People normally experience fluctuations in blood pressure and there is no set threshold at which it becomes labile hypertension.

If a person also has high blood pressure in addition to labile hypertension, a health care professional may think the individual has constant hypertension, rather than labile hypertension.

If a healthcare professional suspects that a person may have high blood pressure, they may suggest using a home blood pressure monitor to take regular measurements.

If these generally indicate that the individual’s blood pressure is within a normal range, the health care provider may investigate further to rule out hypertension.

A doctor may recommend that a person have 24-hour outpatient blood pressure monitoring to check if they have unstable blood pressure.

It involves a person wearing a small device that records a variety of body information, such as time spent sleeping, eating, and exercising. This can give the doctor a better idea of ​​how a person’s blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day.

A person seeking to minimize their risk of labile hypertension should consider:

• try to control their stress level, avoid stressful situations or learn to deal with them more effectively
• manage their level of anxiety through meditation and other relaxation techniques, or using prescription medications
• stop smoking
• limit the amount of salt they eat
• limit the amount of alcohol they drink
• avoiding using certain medications or prescription drugs

If a person experiences WCH, they can also try to reduce the stress associated with visiting a doctor so that they feel calm and relaxed before the doctor takes their blood pressure.

When a person’s blood pressure rises due to labile hypertension, they usually won’t experience any problems other than the potential symptoms that come with it.

Their blood pressure will likely return to normal levels after a short period of time.

However, there is some evidence to suggest that long-term untreated labile hypertension can put a person at increased risk for various health problems.

Because untreated labile hypertension can lead to an increased risk of health problems, and because the condition can be difficult to detect, it’s important that people have their blood pressure checked regularly.

A healthcare professional can check a person’s blood pressure, or the person can purchase a home blood pressure monitor to check it regularly for themselves.

Even temporary increases in blood pressure levels can have a negative impact on a person’s body.

Regular increases can strain a person’s heart and therefore increase their risk of death. This is why it is important for people to monitor their blood pressure and seek treatment if it is higher than normal.

Because labile hypertension is most often caused by anxiety, it’s also important that people deal with anxiety as best they can. Home treatments like meditation can help, and a person should also consider seeking the help of a healthcare professional.