What Are the Typical Symptoms of High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a medical condition that can result in serious health problems such as heart attack and stroke if left untreated. People can often go for years without knowing they have high blood pressure, so an awareness of the risk factors and regular testing are necessary for detection. It can easily be treated with medication, lifestyle changes, and natural remedies if detected before escalating to the point where a serious problem occurs.

Lack of Discernible Symptoms

• People who have high blood pressure usually don't know it unless they have been diagnosed by a doctor. High blood pressure exhibits few symptoms, which tend to be mild in nature. Because of this, high blood pressure is often referred to as the "silent killer." Some people may experience slight dizziness, mild headaches, nausea and frequent nosebleeds.

Focus on Prevention

• Because of the lack of symptoms, preventative measures are particularly important. Know the risk factors of high blood pressure: smoking, stress, obesity, high sodium intake, over consumption of alcohol, age (the risk increases as one gets older) and race (the risk is higher in African-Americans).

Testing

• High blood pressure can be easily diagnosed with a simple, painless test performed in a doctor's office. The reading consists of two parts, systolic pressure and diastolic pressure. A healthy systolic pressure reading is 120 mm Hg while an acceptable diastolic reading is 80 mm Hg. An ideal reading is considered to be 115 and 75, while 140 and 90 is considered high for a healthy adult.

Treatment with Medication

• High blood pressure is typically treated with prescription medication. Common drugs include diuretics, which help the blood reduce sodium; betal blockers, which help open blood vessels and ease strain on the heart; angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, which limit the narrowing of blood vessels; and renin inhibitors, which prevent a chemical process that increases blood pressure. For drug treatment to be effective, medication must be taken as prescribed.

Additional Treatments

• Lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of high blood pressure. Keep body weight under control, stop smoking, reduce sodium in the diet, perform breathing exercises to reduce stress and avoid consuming excess alcohol. Natural supplements like garlic, calcium, cocoa, Omega-3 fatty acids and cod-liver oil can also be effective.