Last Updated on Monday, 19 October 2009 10:57

Symptoms of High Blood Pressure

Hypertension is often called the silent killer as there are often no preceding signs or symptoms. It may go unchecked for many years, or even decades. Most of the time it is an incidental finding during routine check ups. Some of the symptoms to watch out for:

• Headache

• Dizziness

• Shortness of breath

• Blurred vision

• Drowsiness

• Irregular heart beat.

The only way of knowing that you have high blood pressure is to have it measured by your doctor, nurse or pharmacist, and monitored on a regular basis. How often depends on your general health and whether you have other health conditions, and on the use of medicines for blood pressure control.

While high blood pressure itself doesn't usually present any symptoms, it is a major risk factor for developing a serious cardiovascular disease (conditions that can affect the circulation of blood around the body), such as a stroke, or heart disease. If you are in the high risk category you should have you blood pressure checked by a medical professional. See causes and risk factors below.

High Blood Pressure Diagnosis

Hypertension is diagnosed at clinical level and no specific tests are required. The standard instrument used to measure blood pressure is called a mercury sphygmomanometer. An inflatable cuff with a meter will be attached around your arm while you are seated. If a first blood pressure reading is above normal, your doctor may take two or more measurements with you either sitting or lying down.

High Blood Pressure Types and Causes

Essential (Primary) Hypertension - Accounts for 95% of hypertension. The cause of essential hypertension is unknown, but may be associated with:

• Advancing age
• Excessive salt intake
• Obesity
• Lack of exercise
• Genetic factors
• Kidney failure

Secondary Hypertension - Accounts for the remaining 5% of hypertension. The rise in blood pressure is secondary to a specific abnormality in one of the organs or systems of your body. These include:

• Kidney abnormality
• Structural abnormality of the aorta existing since birth
• Narrowing of certain arteries

These problems can normally be corrected. For example, doctors can repair a narrowed artery that supplies blood to a kidney