High blood pressure – what are the telling symptoms that will prompt you to recognize that you have high blood pressure and take action to control it? The problem with high blood pressure is that the symptoms are insidious, it creeps up on you, consequently many people have high blood pressure without even knowing it. Statistics show that 25% of Americans have high blood pressure and 33% of these people do not know that they have it.
Why is it so important to recognize the symptoms of high blood pressure?
High blood pressure means your heart essentially has to work a lot harder to pump blood through your body – there is greater resistance to blood flow. The harder your heart has to work, the bigger it gets.
High blood pressure is the major cause of stroke, heart attacks and kidney failure. It also results in the artery walls suffering more wear and tear, with hardening and narrowing of the arteries occurring more quickly. This in turn would affect the amount of oxygen the organs get as the arteries that service them aren’t working like they should.
What are the common symptoms of high blood pressure?
This is where the real problem in high blood pressure lies. There are few if any symptoms which would lead you to think that you have a problem. Some people report having headaches, dizzy spells, ringing in the ears or eye disorders but most people will have no symptoms at all. This is why it is so important that you have your blood pressure checked regularly by your doctor every year. Alternatively, you may want to purchase a digital blood pressure monitor to use at home. These are reliable, easy to use. There are cuff versions for your arm or ones that you can put on your wrist. A consistent reading of 140/90 mmHg or higher indicates that you have high blood pressure.
What are the risk factors of high blood pressure?
High blood pressure is more likely in African Americans than whites. Other risk factors include being overweight and those with a family history of high blood pressure.