Hypertension Signs and Symptoms

Listed below are some of the warning signs of hypertension and some tips on how to keep your blood pressure at a healthy level.

What Is Hypertension?

• Hypertension is a medical condition in which one's blood pressure is abnormally high.

What Causes Hypertension?

• Hypertension can be caused by many factors, but the most common known causes include genetic predisposition, high sodium diet and lack of exercise.

Symptoms of Hypertension

• Hypertension is often referred to as "the silent killer" because a person may not experience any discernible symptoms. In many cases, the person experiences these symptoms, but attributes them to other causes. These are some of the most common symptoms of high blood pressure: A headache here and there is no cause for alarm, but if it persists or occurs frequently, you may want to consider seeing a doctor. Frequent nosebleeds for no apparent reason may be indicative of elevated blood pressure. Seeing double or having blurred vision may be signs of hypertension. Dizziness is often experienced by people with hypertension. Dizziness can also be an indication of low blood pressure. Either way, persistent dizziness should be reported to your physician.

Warning

• These symptoms may not be experienced at all or they may seem to be caused by other problems. The presence of these symptoms is not a definite indication of hypertension, but it should be inspiration to seek the opinion of a medical professional. The only way to know for sure whether or not you are hypertensive is to have your doctor check your blood pressure.

Preventing Hypertension

• Some ways to lower your blood pressure without the use of medication or in combination with medication are exercising more frequently and lowering your sodium intake. You may also want to make your doctor aware of any family history of hypertension as well as have her check your blood pressure regularly.