High blood pressure (hypertension): Symptoms and more (original) (raw)

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, often produces no symptoms, but it can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other serious health conditions.

Read on to learn why a person’s blood pressure can increase and what the symptoms are.

This article also explains how a person can monitor their blood pressure and discusses ways to keep it within a typical range.

Finally, we answer some common questions about the condition.

Blood pressure is the force that a person’s blood exerts against the walls of their blood vessels. This pressure depends on the resistance of the blood vessels and how hard the heart has to work.

Certain conditions, medications, and health factors can increase this pressure.

Hypertension is blood pressure that is consistently higher than 140 over 90 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).

The systolic reading of 130 mm Hg refers to the pressure as the heart pumps blood around the body. The diastolic reading of 80 mm Hg refers to the pressure as the heart relaxes and refills with blood.

The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association (AHA) define blood pressure ranges as:

Hypertension is a primary risk factor for cardiovascular disease, including stroke, heart attack, heart failure, and aneurysm. Managing blood pressure is vital for preserving health and reducing the risk of these dangerous conditions.

A person with hypertension may not notice any symptoms. Without detection, hypertension can damage the heart, blood vessels, and other organs, such as the kidneys.

It is vital to check blood pressure regularly.

In rare and severe cases, high blood pressure can cause:

However, most people with hypertension will experience no symptoms at all.

Complications

Long-term hypertension can cause complications through atherosclerosis, where plaque develops on the walls of blood vessels, causing them to narrow.

This narrowing worsens hypertension because the heart must pump harder to circulate the blood.

Hypertension-related atherosclerosis can lead to:

Regular blood pressure monitoring can help people avoid these more severe complications.

Measuring blood pressure

Having high blood pressure for a short time can be a normal response to many situations. Acute stress and intense exercise, for example, can briefly elevate blood pressure in an otherwise healthy person.

For this reason, a diagnosis of hypertension requires several readings that show sustained high blood pressure over time.

The cause of hypertension is often not known. In many cases, it is the result of an underlying condition.

High blood pressure that is not due to another condition or disease is known as primary or essential hypertension. If an underlying condition is a cause of increased blood pressure, doctors call this secondary hypertension.

Primary hypertension can result from multiple factors, including:

Secondary hypertension has specific causes and is a complication of another health problem.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common cause of high blood pressure, as the kidneys no longer filter out fluid. This excess fluid leads to hypertension. Hypertension can also cause CKD.

Other conditions that can lead to hypertension include:

Risk factors

A number of factors increase the risk of hypertension.

Lifestyle adjustments are the standard, first-line treatment for hypertension.

Regular physical exercise

Current guidelines recommend that all people, including those with hypertension, engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise every week or 75 minutes per week of high-intensity exercise.

People should exercise at least 5 days every week.

Examples of suitable activities are:

Studies show that strength, or resistance, training can also reduce blood pressure in hypertensive people.

Stress reduction

Avoiding or learning to manage stress can help a person control blood pressure.

A few relaxation techniques that can help relieve stress are:

People should avoid consuming alcohol and recreational drugs to cope with stress, as these can contribute to elevated blood pressure and the complications of hypertension.

Smoking can also increase blood pressure. Avoiding or quitting smoking reduces the risk of hypertension, serious heart conditions, and other health issues.

Medication

People can use specific medications to treat hypertension. Doctors will often recommend a low dose at first. Antihypertensive medications will usually only have minor side effects.

Eventually, people with hypertension may need to combine two or more drugs to manage their blood pressure.

Medications for hypertension include:

The choice of medication depends on the person and any underlying medical conditions they may have.

Anyone taking antihypertensive medications should carefully read the labels of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs they may also take, such as decongestants. These OTC drugs can interact with the medications they are taking to lower their blood pressure.

People can prevent high blood pressure by following a heart-healthy diet.

Reducing salt intake

High sodium consumption contributes to high blood pressure. The main source of sodium in the diet is salt.

The AHA recommends that people without hypertension consume less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day. This roughly equates to one teaspoon. People with hypertension should consume less than 1,500 mg of sodium per day to manage their condition.

Moderating alcohol consumption

Moderate to excessive alcohol consumption can increase blood pressure.

The following would count as one drink:

A healthcare professional can help people reduce consumption if they find it difficult to moderate their alcohol intake.

Eating more fruits and vegetables and less fat

People who have high blood pressure or people at high risk of developing it should reduce their intake of saturated fats in favor of unsaturated fats.

Experts recommend that people with high blood pressure prioritize more heart-healthy foods, such as:

Limiting trans fats, hydrogenated vegetable oils, animal fats, and processed fast foods can help manage blood pressure.

However, some fats can be a healthful addition to diet plans. Omega-3 fatty acids, such as oily fish and olive oil, have protective effects on the heart. While these are typically healthful, people with a risk of hypertension should still include them in their total fat intake.

Managing body weight

Excess body weight can contribute to hypertension. A fall in blood pressure usually follows weight loss because the heart does not have to work so hard to pump blood around the body.

A balanced diet with a calorie intake that matches the person’s size, sex, and activity level will help.

The DASH diet

The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) recommends the DASH diet for people with high blood pressure. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.

DASH is a flexible and balanced eating plan with a firm grounding in research by the NHLBI, which says that the diet:

Below are some common questions relating to high blood pressure.

What is the main cause of hypertension?

High blood pressure that is not due to another condition or disease is known as primary or essential hypertension. If an underlying condition is a cause of increased blood pressure, doctors call this secondary hypertension.

Common causes of primary hypertension include:

Common causes of secondary hypertension include:

How do people cope with hypertension?

People can cope with, and treat, hypertension through:

What are 10 warning signs of high blood pressure?

In many instances, hypertension does not cause symptoms. However, in severe cases, it can cause:

How can I lower my blood pressure quickly?

Physical relaxation and calming breathing exercises can help lower blood pressure during extreme stress. Taking relevant medication and practicing healthy lifestyle habits are often the fastest way to lower blood pressure in the short to medium term.

A person has hypertension when their blood pressure is consistently high.

However, the American College of Cardiology and the AHA recommend that people with hypertension maintain their blood pressure below 130/80 mm Hg.

Hypertension can increase a person’s risk of developing a range of heart-related conditions, such as heart disease, heart attacks, and stroke.

Family history and lifestyle factors are often the cause of hypertension, while dietary and activity changes can help people maintain a healthy blood pressure level.

Doctors may also recommend a combination of medications to manage a person’s blood pressure.