If your blood pressure reading is above 180/120, then this indicates that there is a serious problem. If your blood pressure is in this range, then you are experiencing what medical practitioners call a “hypertensive crisis.” Even if you do not experience any symptoms, this requires urgent medical treatment as it can cause further medical complications and problems that could prove to potentially be fatal if left untreated. Typically, a high reading can be temporary, and then your numbers will return to a more normal range. If your blood pressure measures at 180/120 or higher, then your doctor will usually take a second reading after about five minutes after the first. If your reading has not gone down, then that means you will require urgent or immediate treatment, depending on whether or not you experience any of the following symptoms: chest pain; shortness of breath; visual changes; symptoms of a stroke; blood in your urine; dizziness; or headache. If you experience any of those symptoms in addition to your high blood pressure reading, then you require immediate medical treatment.