High Blood Pressure Symptoms in the Elderly

Blood pressure refers to the amount of blood that your heart pumps and the resistance of the blood flow in the arteries. When the heart is trying to pump blood through narrow arteries, there is more resistance. This make a person's blood pressure higher. People--especially the elderly--with high blood pressure are at increased risk for developing very serious problems such as stroke and heart attack. But once it has been detected, you can work with a doctor to help control it.

Warning

• High blood pressure is usually discovered by a doctor because there are really no specific symptoms to alert an individual about it. The symptoms that people with high blood pressure do experience are generally mild and written off as something else.

Dizziness

• People with high blood pressure may experience reduced blood flow to the brain and experience dizziness. Dizziness is often viewed as a side effect of medication, or as weakness, in the elderly and overlooked as a high blood pressure symptom.

Headaches

• People with high blood pressure may experience headaches. This is due to pressure in the blood vessels that run through the head. This pressure can irritate nerves. Because older people are often on medication, headaches are often viewed as a medication side effect instead of a sign of high blood pressure.

Vision

• People with high blood pressure may experience double vision or blurred vision. Vision problems are often considered a sign of aging and can be overlooked as a symptom of high blood pressure.

Nosebleeds

• Tiny blood vessels in the mucous membranes can rupture when there is increased blood pressure. Frequent nosebleeds in the elderly should not be overlooked as a sign of allergies or a dry, stuffy nose, which can be a sign of high blood pressure.

Heart Rate

• A person with high blood pressure may have fluctuations in her heart rate, which happens often with older people. This is due to the increased work the heart has to do. This can also produce chest pain.

Shortness of Breath

• People with high blood pressure may have shortness of breath when lying down. They may wake suddenly from sleep and prefer to sleep with their heads elevated. Shortness of breath is a sign of high blood pressure.