24/7 Emergency Care. Our patients are first.
If your reading is 180/120 or higher, take it seriously. If it stays that high and you have chest pain, shortness of breath, severe headache, weakness, numbness, vision changes, or trouble speaking, get emergency help right away
Go to the ER now if your blood pressure is 180/120 or higher and you have:
These can be warning signs of a hypertensive emergency, which means the high blood pressure may already be affecting the brain, heart, kidneys, eyes, or other organs.
Call 911 instead of driving yourself if high blood pressure comes with possible stroke or heart symptoms.
That includes face, arm, or leg numbness, trouble walking, trouble speaking, chest pain, or severe shortness of breath. Do not wait to see whether the pressure comes down on its own.
High blood pressure is often silent — until it is not
Most people with high blood pressure have no symptoms, which is why it is often called a silent problem. The danger is not how the number feels. The danger is what sustained or sharply elevated pressure can do to blood vessels and organs over time — including the heart, brain, kidneys, and eyes.
What counts as a hypertensive crisis
A hypertensive crisis means a blood pressure reading of 180/120 mm Hg or higher. Not every reading in that range means the same thing. If the number is that high without symptoms, it still needs prompt medical attention and same-day guidance from a clinician. If that number is paired with symptoms of organ damage, it becomes a medical emergency.
What to do if you get a very high reading at home
If you get a reading of 180/120 or higher and you do not have symptoms, sit quietly and recheck it after a few minutes. If it is still that high, contact a medical professional right away. If the repeat reading is still high and symptoms are present, call 911 or get emergency care immediately.
Symptoms that make high blood pressure dangerous
The red flags are not subtle: chest pain, shortness of breath, sudden severe headache, weakness, numbness, trouble speaking, vision changes, confusion, seizures, or severe pain in the chest, back, or abdomen. Those symptoms raise concern for stroke, heart strain, aortic problems, or other end-organ injury.
What Post Oak ER can do for dangerously high blood pressure
At Post Oak ER, emergency physicians can rapidly evaluate hypertensive emergencies with on-site CT, X-ray, lab testing, IV treatment, and cardiac-focused emergency care. That matters when high blood pressure may be tied to stroke symptoms, chest pain, shortness of breath, or other signs of acute organ damage.
This is not the place for routine blood pressure management
If your blood pressure is mildly or moderately elevated and you feel well, that is usually a primary care or outpatient follow-up issue, not an ER issue. The ER page should not pretend otherwise. This page is about dangerously high blood pressure with emergency symptoms or a repeated crisis-level reading that needs urgent medical direction.
Risk factors still matter
Smoking, inactivity, diabetes, excess alcohol use, poor diet, and excess body weight all raise the risk of high blood pressure over time. But risk factors are not what decide whether to go to the ER today. Symptoms and crisis-level readings do.
A simple rule to remember
If your number is 180/120 or higher, do not shrug it off. Recheck it. If it stays that high and you have any chest pain, breathing trouble, severe headache, weakness, numbness, vision change, or trouble speaking, treat it like an emergency.
Whether you’re in Westchase, Midtown, or the Heights, getting to Post Oak ER is simple. We’re centrally located near major Houston routes like I‑610 and San Felipe — just a short drive from Memorial Park and River Oaks. Many patients reach us via Westheimer or Woodway Dr., depending on their neighborhood.
We accept most major insurance plans and also welcome self-pay patients with transparent, upfront pricing. Many Memorial-area patients visit us using Blue Cross, Aetna, Cigna, Humana, Molina, and United Healthcare.
Yes. We’re open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our freestanding ER model is designed to minimize or eliminate wait times so you’re seen fast.
No. Walk in anytime. If it’s an emergency, come straight in or call ahead and we’ll be ready: 832-581-2277.
5018 San Felipe St, Houston, TX 77056 — near The Galleria/Uptown. Free, convenient parking right by the entrance.
Yes. Our board-certified emergency physicians care for all ages, including pediatric emergencies.
Chest pain, shortness of breath, severe headache/migraine, abdominal pain, injuries and fractures, cuts requiring stitches, high fever, dehydration, allergic reactions, asthma attacks, and more. If you believe it’s life-threatening, call 911.
Yes. We offer on-site CT scans, digital X-rays, and a full laboratory, so most tests and results are done during your visit.
Absolutely. We routinely see patients from Uptown, The Galleria, River Oaks, Tanglewood, and Memorial.
A photo ID, insurance card (if available), a list of medications/allergies, and any recent medical records you have.
We accept most major private insurance plans. Coverage varies by plan; our team will help verify benefits and discuss any out-of-pocket costs. Questions? Call 832-581-2277.
Urgent care handles minor illnesses/injuries. ERs have advanced imaging, lab, medications, and emergency physicians for time-sensitive or severe conditions (e.g., chest pain, severe abdominal pain, serious injury, difficulty breathing).
Yes. If inpatient care or surgery is required, we coordinate a direct transfer to the appropriate hospital.
Times vary by condition and testing, but our no-wait intake and on-site diagnostics help you get answers and treatment as quickly as possible.