Hypertension Symptoms and Management

Hypertension, commonly referred to as high blood pressure, is a condition caused when the pressure of blood against your arteries is too high. If left untreated, hypertension can lead to more serious health issues. Continuously monitoring your blood pressure can help identify hypertension when it occurs, and once known, you can seek treatment.

Generally, there are no physical signs of hypertension. Many individuals do not experience any symptoms and do not know they have high blood pressure until they are seen by a doctor.

In some severe cases, an individual may experience:

• Headache
• Shortness of breath
• Nosebleeds

These symptoms are not specific to hypertension and usually do not occur until a person is in a hypertensive crisis. A hypertensive crisis is when an individual’s blood pressure spikes to emergency levels suddenly. If this happens, seek medical treatment immediately — it can lead to a stroke or damage your organs.

There is a wide range of factors that can cause someone to develop hypertension. Some of the main contributors are:

• Being overweight or obese
• Drinking alcohol excessively
• Unbalanced diet
• Little to no physical exercise
• Age

Hypertension is more likely in people who are overweight or have a high-fat and high-salt diet. Being 65 or older also increases your chances of developing hypertension. You should contact your doctor if you have any concerns or questions regarding your blood pressure.

If you are diagnosed with hypertension, doctors may recommend one of the following treatments:

• Eating a well-balanced, low salt diet
• Regular exercise
• Avoiding stressful situations
• Medication

Changing your lifestyle is the main way to manage hypertension. Many times, doctors will recommend medication to patients who are 65 years of age or older or have other underlying health conditions.

If your hypertension is left untreated, you are more susceptible to:

• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Heart failure
• Issues with memory
• Aneurysm
• Kidney failure

To decrease your risk of developing hypertension, you should attend your yearly physical, where the doctor will take your blood pressure. With the appropriate monitoring, your doctor will be able to diagnose your hypertension and offer maintenance before it becomes something more serious.

If you are concerned that you have high blood pressure, contact a doctor to discuss how to manage your hypertension. Call Trinity Medical Center in Huntsville, AL, at (256) 482-1505 to schedule an appointment today.