High Blood Pressure Symptoms You Should Know

An average of 116 million Americans are currently living with high blood pressure (HBP) or hypertension that increases one’s risk for heart disease and stroke, which are the leading killers of people according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly half of US adults are suffering from high blood pressure, but the fact that less than a quarter of them have it under control is more worrisome. This is a widespread problem being a primary reason for more than half a million deaths every year.

Here are some of the signs you should watch out for to be able to act in a timely manner:

1.      Headaches- Severe headaches could be due to very high blood pressures that call for medical attention right away. However, headache is not a consistent symptom, and the best way to know you have the condition is to check for BP.

2.      Chest pain- Chest pain is another common sign of hypertensive crisis. However, this isn’t a common symptom as chest pain is said to be associated with extremely high blood pressures with heart attacks or heart disease in particular.

3.      Difficulty breathing

4.      Tiredness

5.      Fatigue

6.      Issues with vision

7.      Confusion

Sadly, many people may not have any signs or might not even be aware that they’ve high blood pressure, reason why the AHA terms hypertension a ‘silent killer’ due to lack of symptoms. This makes it important for adults to have their BP checked at regular intervals or invest in blood pressure monitors or look for devices in public places like grocery stores, et al to quickly screen their BP.

HBP can lead to a host of health issues, including

1.      heart attack,

2.      stroke, and

3.      acute kidney failure.

Lifestyle choices, such as tobacco use, older age, obesity, too much alcohol consumption, eating a high salt diet or leading a sedentary lifestyle with stress, increase risk of HBP. This means lifestyle modifications, such as increasing physical activity, eating less salt and consuming more fruits and vegetables, managing stress, keeping weight in a healthy range, getting good sleep, steering clear of alcohol, tobacco, or drug use while going for regular checkups and screening are key to fending off hypertension, and diagnosing and managing HBP respectively.

Even if you already have HBP, it is always a good time to make lifestyle changes, as this can ease the symptoms and boost your overall health. Remember a nutritious diet is the best way to reduce your risk. Avoid fried and overly processed foods, and completely stay away from canned food (canned veggies, legumes, meats) that are often a convenient option for households, which can raise your risk of HBP and put your heart health in jeopardy.

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