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Signs & Symptoms of Hypertension Causing Heart Attack

Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is considered a major risk factor for a heart attack. Certain signs and symptoms indicate hypertension may lead to a heart attack.

  1. Identification

    • According to the Mayo Clinic, you can have high blood pressure but show no symptoms for years, which makes it tough to identify hypertension outside of blood pressure monitoring. Regular blood pressure tests will indicate if you have high blood pressure.

    Significance

    • Hypertension causes fatty deposits in the arteries, which can lead to a heart attack, according to the Mayo Clinic. Uncontrolled high blood pressure also causes the heart to work harder to pump blood through the body and puts excessive pressure on artery walls creating further heart attack potential.

    Chest and Bodily Pain

    • Mild or severe chest pain, even if it goes away after a few minutes, is a possible sign of hypertension causing a heart attack, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI.) Other pain symptoms may occur in the arms, back, neck, jaw and stomach.

    Breathing Problems

    • Shortness of breath, whether accompanied by chest pain, is another possible heart attack symptom, according to the NHLBI.

    Other Heart Attack Symptoms

    • Nausea, vomiting, dizziness and weakness all can indicate a possible heart attack.

    Warning

    • The signs and symptoms of hypertension or a heart attack may develop slowly or suddenly. If you have high blood pressure and experience any of the symptoms of possible heart attack, call 911 or have someone take you to the hospital immediately.

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