Nearly 1.28 billion adults worldwide between the age group of 30–79 years have hypertension and two-thirds of them live in middle or low-income countries. What is more alarming is that nearly 46% of people with hypertension don’t have a clue that they are living with this condition. No wonder it is one of the leading causes of premature death around the globe. But it is also one of those conditions that can be controlled and someone with hypertension can lead a long and happy life through lifestyle changes and medications. So, what are the top 10 symptoms of high blood pressure that indicate you should pay a visit to your doctor? Let’s find out!
Cause of High Blood Pressure
If the pressure in a person’s blood vessels is higher than 140/90 mmHg, the condition is termed high blood pressure or hypertension. While it is a common problem, it can become serious if one does not receive treatment.
Now have a look at the things that can increase your risk of having hypertension:
- genetics
- high sodium intake
- older age
- over-consumption of alcohol
- lack of physical activity
- being obese
Common Symptoms of High Blood Pressure
Most people with high BP do not experience any symptoms of hypertension and that’s why it goes undiagnosed for a long time. However, when the blood pressure ends up reaching a certain level, some symptoms begin to appear. The elevated blood pressure indicators include:
- difficulty breathing
- anxiety
- vision changes (like blurred vision or double vision)
- severe and frequent headaches
- vomiting and/ or nausea
- nosebleeds
- dizziness/ fainting
- abnormal heart rate
- shortness of breath
- fatigue
Have you been experiencing any of these hypertension symptoms? Then checking the blood pressure is the only way to be certain if you have high BP or some other condition. So, you should immediately take your blood pressure reading at home or visit a doctor.
Complications of High Blood Pressure
When an individual’s blood pressure is higher than normal, there is excessive pressure in the arteries and this blood pushing can cause damage to the blood vessels as well as surrounding organs. Studies have revealed that uncontrolled hypertension can also lead to life-threatening complications such as:
- Angina: Angina is a kind of chest pain and high blood pressure may be the reason behind it.
- Stroke or heart attack: Stroke is one of the major hypertension health risks, resulting from thickening and hardening of the arteries.
- Heart failure: High BP means the heart needs to work harder and over time, the strain makes the heart’s walls thick, a condition known as left ventricular hypertrophy. Eventually, the heart fails to meet the body’s requirements, resulting in heart failure.
- Kidney ailments: Research has proved that the blood vessels in a person’s kidneys become weak or narrow due to high blood pressure and this may cause kidney problems.
- Aneurysm: Increased BP can lead to the formation of an aneurysm and the rupturing of an aneurysm might be life-threatening.
- Eye problems. Increased BP may can cause narrowed, torn, or thickened blood vessels in the patient’s eyes, sometimes even resulting in complete vision loss.
- Metabolic syndrome: It is a type of disorder that has been linked with hypertension.
Treatment of High Blood Pressure in Adults
Hypertension’s treatment depends on the severity of the condition and the associated risks of suffering from other diseases. To lower blood pressure at home, it is mandatory to make the following lifestyle alterations:
- Avoiding smoking
- Exercising for 30 minutes regularly
- Eating heart-healthy foods and reducing the intake of salt
- Keeping weight gain in check
- Managing stress
- Refraining from drinking alcohol frequently
- Going for regular follow-up tests and monthly check-ups
Should You Take Medicines to Lower Your Blood Pressure?
In severe cases, medication is also necessary to maintain normal blood pressure. Your doctor might prescribe ACE inhibitors, Beta blockers, Alpha-2 receptor agonists, or Central agonists to treat high blood pressure. The dosage and nature of the medication depends on the type of high blood pressure.
Note: People with high blood pressure should never take any blood pressure medications without consulting their healthcare provider.
Can Hypertension be Prevented?
After understanding hypertension symptoms, its possible causes, the importance of blood pressure measurement, and ways of hypertension management, let’s learn what you can do to keep primary or secondary hypertension at bay.
- Eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Increase physical activities like running, dancing, swimming, and walking.
- If you are overweight, try to lose weight.
- Resist foods that are loaded with trans and saturated fats.
- Say no to smoking tobacco.
- Try to limit the exposure to air that is polluted.
- Practice mindfulness to deal with stress and anxiety.
The Takeaway
We may conclude by saying that hypertension can be a silent killer and so, everyone must be observant of this silent killer symptoms. By now it is clear to you how hypertension awareness scan save thousands of lives and so, monitor your blood pressure even if you are healthy. Take care of yourself and the people around you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What are the early signs of high blood pressure?
A: While stage 1 hypertension doesn’t show symptoms, stat 2 hypertension shows several symptoms. Tinnitus, dizziness, breathlessness, recurring headaches, insomnia, vomiting, confusion, blurred vision, and excessive sweating are some high blood pressure signs.
Q. How do you know if you have high blood pressure without a doctor?
A: If you develop high blood pressure, there may or may not be any blood pressure warning signs. So, the best thing to do is check your blood pressure occasionally. You can buy a digital blood pressure monitor to measure your blood pressure without anybody’s help.
