High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a common condition in which the long-term force of the blood against your artery walls is high enough that it may eventually cause health problems, such as heart disease.
Blood pressure is determined both by the amount of blood your heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in your arteries. The more blood your heart pumps and the narrower your arteries, the higher your blood pressure.
A blood pressure reading is given in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). It has two numbers. Top number (systolic pressure). The first, or upper, number measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats. Bottom number (diastolic pressure). The second, or lower, number measures the pressure in your arteries between heartbeats.
You can have high blood pressure for years without any symptoms. Uncontrolled high blood pressure increases your risk of serious health problems, including heart attack and stroke. Fortunately, high blood pressure can be easily detected. And once you know you have high blood pressure, you can work with your doctor to control it.
Symptoms
Hypertension is generally a silent condition. Many people won’t experience any symptoms. It may take years or even decades for the condition to reach levels severe enough that symptoms become obvious. Even then, these symptoms may be attributed to other issues.
Symptoms of severe hypertension can include:
- Headaches
- Shortness of breath
- Nosebleeds
- Flushing
- Dizziness
- Chest pain
- Visual changes
- Blood in the urine
Prevention/Treatment
Treating high blood pressure involves lifestyle changes and possibly medication. You can lower your blood pressure with the following lifestyle changes:
- Losing weight if you are overweight or obese
- Quitting smoking
- Eating a healthy diet, including the DASH diet (eating more fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products, less saturated and total fat)
- Reducing your sodium intake
- Getting regular aerobic exercise (such as brisk walking at least 30 minutes a day, several days a week)
- Limiting alcohol to two drinks a day for men, one drink a day for women
In addition to lowering blood pressure, these measures enhance the effectiveness of high blood pressure drugs. Many patients with high blood pressure also have obstructive sleep apnea which may contribute to the blood pressure problem. You should ask your doctor about screening for this condition.
When to see a doctor
The best way to know if you have hypertension is to get regular blood pressure readings. Most doctors’ offices take a blood pressure reading at every appointment.