In the case of high blood pressure, out of sight should not mean out of mind. This condition is often called the "silent killer," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, since it typically causes no signs or symptoms until it has already led to serious complications.
According to the American Heart Association, about 74 million adults in the United States have high blood pressure, but more than 20 percent aren't aware that they have it. In other words, nearly 15 million people don't know that they have a health problem that could lead to disabling or even deadly complications.
On occasion, high blood pressure will cause headaches ... but since headaches are a common ailment with many possible causes, you may not associate this as a symptom of high blood pressure.
Instead, some people only learn that they have high blood pressure - also called hypertension - after they have already developed one of its complications, such as:
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Kidney disease
- Eye problems
Keep an Eye on Blood Pressure Related Problems
Since it's so difficult to know if you might have high blood pressure based just on symptoms, health experts recommend that adults over 20 have their blood pressure checked regularly, though some recommend starting at 18. Depending on your blood pressure and recommendation from a registered nurse or doctor, it should be checked every year or two.
Obviously, it's best for your doctor to diagnose and treat high blood pressure before it causes problems. But because high blood pressure is so common, it may also be wise to know the early signs of conditions that are associated with hypertension:
Heart Disease - High blood pressure can contribute to coronary heart disease. Most often, the chief symptom of this condition is chest pain or discomfort, but it may also cause shortness of breath or fatigue. High blood pressure can also play a role in heart failure, which may cause symptoms such as coughing, fatigue, weight gain, shortness of breath, and difficulty concentrating.
Stroke - High blood pressure is the most important factor that raises your risk of stroke. Symptoms of a stroke include difficulty talking or understanding other people, sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body; and difficulty seeing.
Kidney Disease - Chronic kidney disease also often doesn't cause symptoms early in the disease. However, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians, symptoms that can occur later as the disease gets worse include fatigue, loss of appetite, difficulty thinking, and swelling of the feet and ankles.
Eye Damage - If high blood pressure has damaged blood vessels in the retinas of your eyes, called hypertensive retinopathy, symptoms can include blurry vision or loss of vision.
Learn more about strokes
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