Symptoms of high blood pressure
Although patients with isolated hypertension are usually asymptomatic, occasionally they have symptoms such as
- Headache (especially pulsating headaches behind the eyes that occur early in the morning)
- Facial flushing or tinnitus (ringing sound in the ears)
Hypertension which is very severe with a SBP >240 mmHg or DBP >120 mmHg is called accelerated hypertension. Accelerated hypertension is associated with confusion, visual disturbances,
nausea and vomiting. When hypertension causes increased intracranial pressure (pressure exerted by the cranium on the brain tissue and brain fluid), it is called malignant hypertension or hypertensive crisis and is a medical emergency that requires immediate reduction of the BP. This condition may present with end-organ damage.
Over time, untreated high BP can damage organs such as the heart, kidneys or eyes leading to complications such as:
- Peripheral arterial disease
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Written by: Healthplus24 team
Date last modified: April 15, 2012