Be on the lookout for the following subtle signs of HBP
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a prevalent health condition that more often than not the sufferer is unaware of, as there are often no warning signs. High blood pressure can lead to major health issues, such as heart disease or stroke. It is a common condition that affects the body’s arteries. If you suffer from high blood pressure, the pressure on your arterial walls from your blood is consistently too high and forces your heart to have to work harder to pump blood throughout your body.
Signs that you may be a sufferer of high blood pressure
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Chest pain (Angina)
Chest pain is the most common symptom of high blood pressure which may occur without any other symptoms being prevalent.
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Breathing difficulty
High blood pressure can affect your blood vessels by reducing their flexibility, in turn reducing blood flow to your heart which may lead to symptoms such as chest pain. If you experience a hypertensive crisis your chest pain may increase which may lead to difficulty breathing or even a heart attack due to the stress your body is undergoing.
Pulmonary hypertension is a specific type of hypertension that affects the arteries in your lungs and the right side of your heart. Pulmonary hypertension can progressively worsen over time and become life-threatening.
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Headaches
A headache may occur during periods of very high blood pressure, which can put extra pressure on the brain. The pressure can cause the blood to leak from the blood vessels in the brain.
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Confusion and dizziness
Confusion, dizziness, and seizures have a similar origin to headaches. They occur when there is pressure on your brain and abnormal flow of blood to the brain. This happens during a hypertensive crisis or if your blood pressure is poorly controlled. This may lead to a stroke or hemorrhage in the brain if these hypertensive symptoms become progressively worse.
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Vision or speech problems
Many symptoms of high blood pressure are not fully understood but it is suggested that the mechanical stress on your blood vessel walls leads to elevated pressure or damage to your blood vessels and nerves.
This may lead to difficulties when speaking or trouble seeing, as your eyes contain many small blood vessels which are affected during a hypertensive emergency.
Healthy lifestyle changes
Unfortunately, many of the symptoms mentioned are not conclusive indicators of a hypertensive crisis. The only reliable indicator is having a blood pressure test administered by a medical practitioner. If you suffer from any of the above-mentioned symptoms, it is important to be aware of your blood pressure levels and having the problem diagnosed is of paramount importance. You can speak to your medical practitioner about medications that will minimize or alleviate your symptoms. It is also important that you make healthy lifestyle changes.
The lifestyle changes include an increase in physical activity, minimizing your sodium intake and increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables. Managing your stress levels and body weight and improving your quality of sleep are also very important. Finally, minimizing or completely avoiding alcohol, cigarettes or drug use is highly recommended.
Risk factors
Although it is difficult to know if you are suffering from high blood pressure without taking a test, you can minimize your chances of getting the condition by minimizing some risk factors.
Be aware of the following HBP risk factors:
- Being overweight
- A high intake of sodium
- Little to no exercise
- A high intake of alcohol or coffee
- Smoking
- Not enough or disrupted sleep
- Being older than 65
- Familial history of HBP
Takeaway
Watch out for the symptoms of high blood pressure so that you can manage the condition effectively. If you experience, chest pain, difficulty breathing, confusion and dizziness and vision or speech problems, it would be best to ask your doctor to check your blood pressure. Also be mindful of minimizing possible high blood pressure risk factors.
