Malignant Hypertension Symptoms

Malignant hypertension, also commonly referred to as accelerated hypertension, is a condition where a person's blood pressure suddenly escalates to an extremely high level. Where typical hypertension develops over an extended period of time, malignant hypertension occurs quite rapidly and requires immediate medical attention. With this particular form of hypertension, it is usually the diastolic blood pressure that experiences this dangerous spike, soaring up over 130 mmHg (normal is often 80 mmHg). However, it is also possible for an individual to suffer this spike in his systolic blood pressure. If someone were to suffer malignant hypertension, there are some telltale signs and symptoms that can indicate this life-threatening condition.

Chest Pain

• One of the more obvious symptoms of malignant hypertension involves a sudden and unexpected pain within the chest. Most of the time, it will occur within the middle of the chest, somewhere along the breastbone. This pain can manifest as a crushing pressure up to a sharp, shooting pain and may be accompanied by numbness or weakness within the arms, legs and even face.

Nausea

• For some people, malignant hypertension prompts the symptom of nausea. And much like the symptom of pain, this feeling will overtake the person quite suddenly. Sometimes, the nausea can be so severe that it may cause vomiting or even retching, depending on the contents (or lack of contents) in a person's stomach.

Visual Disturbance

• Another noticeable symptom of malignant hypertension will take the form of a visual disturbance. Actually, its one of the main hallmarks of the condition since the elevation in blood pressure will be so great and sudden that it causes the optic nerve within the eye to swell. When this swelling occurs within the optic nerve, it quickly brings on a blurred sense of vision.

Cognitive Disturbance

• Many people suffering from malignant hypertension will also experience another disturbance, this one within their mental or cognitive status. Seemingly out of the blue, they begin to feel restless, anxious or even fearful. For some people, they become sleepy or lethargic. For others, they feel a mental shift, becoming abruptly confused or unfocused. A person may simply experience something so small like a headache or something so severe like a seizure. With this particular symptom, it all depends on how the brain reacts to the rapid elevation in blood pressure.

Respiratory Disturbance

• Sometimes, malignant hypertension can cause a person to suffer from a respiratory disturbance. Usually, this involves a shortness in breath, but can be so sudden and severe that a person may become dizzy, lightheaded and lose consciousness. Yet, this respiratory disturbance can also take the form of cough.

Urinary Disruption

• Though not as obvious or influential as the other symptoms of malignant hypertension, someone suffering from this sudden condition may begin to see a decrease in the amount of urine produced. This can be experienced as less frequency of urination or less urine expressed upon each visit to the bathroom.