What are the symptoms of hypertension? Hypertension is generally a silent condition. Many people won’t experience any symptoms. It may take years or even decades for the condition to reach levels severe enough that symptoms become obvious. Even then, these symptoms may be attributed to other issues. Symptoms of severe hypertension can include:
flushing
blood spots in the eyes (subconjunctival hemorrhage)
dizziness
According to the American Heart Association, contrary to popular thought, severe hypertension doesn’t typically cause nosebleeds or headaches — except when someone is in hypertensive crisis. The best way to know if you have hypertension is to get regular blood pressure readings. Most doctors’ offices take a blood pressure reading at every appointment. If you only have a yearly physical, talk with your doctor about your risks for hypertension and other readings you may need to help you watch your blood pressure. For example, if you have a family history of heart disease or have risk factors for developing the condition, your doctor may recommend that you have your blood pressure checked twice a year. This helps you and your doctor stay on top of any possible issues before they become problematic.
Symptoms of high blood pressure in women
High blood pressure doesn’t always cause symptoms. In fact, it’s sometimes referred to as a “silent condition” because most people with high blood pressure have no symptoms at all. Often, symptoms don’t appear at all until someone has had high blood pressure for years and the condition has become severe, but even people with severe high blood pressure might have no symptoms at all. When symptoms do occur, they look the same in everyone and might include:
skin flushing
red spots in front of the eyes
dizziness
But these symptoms only occur once elevated blood pressure has caused the damaged blood vessels to break. The only real sign of high blood pressure is getting consistently high blood pressure readings. That’s why it’s important to have your blood pressure checked at least once a year. Symptoms of high blood pressure in elderly women There’s no change to the symptoms of high blood pressure as a person ages. Although cis women who are past menopause are at higher risk, for high blood pressure, they’re still unlikely to experience any symptoms at all. High blood pressure is still a silent condition in older women. If any symptoms do occur, they’ll be likely to be flushing, red spots in front of the eyes, and dizziness. But the best way for older women to monitor their blood pressure is to keep track of their blood pressure numbers and have conversations about their blood pressure with their healthcare professional. The overall risk for high blood pressure goes up as everyone ages, regardless of sex or gender. Complications of high blood pressure Without proper diagnosis, you may not know that your blood pressure is increasing. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to damage to the blood vessels of various organs. This can cause serious health problems, like:
stroke
kidney failure
heart attacks
weakened or thickened blood vessels in your kidneys
dementia
vision problems
There’s also evidence to suggest that high blood pressure might put you at a higher risk of becoming severely ill if you contract COVID-19.
