I spoke with my mom today. She's in her late 60s and has had high blood pressure for years. She still works regularly but is staying home this week to see if her blood pressure can be moderated after spiking to 236/145. (I'm not 100% sure about the second number–it may be a little off, but I am absolutely positive about the 236.)
She was given a new medication, as well as some anxiety medicine. She's always had high blood pressure, but the 236 even scared her.
So, how close is someone to a heart attack (or some other major body malfunction) when blood pressure goes that high? I remember my mom's mom had high blood pressure and died from a massive heart attack at age 70 about twenty years ago.