High blood pressure symptoms: Warning signs your blood pressure is dangerously high

More than a quarter of adults in the UK have high blood pressure, according to the NHS. However, many of these people don’t know they have it as it rarely has noticeable symptoms. But when high blood pressure is severely high, it can bring on some symptoms, which should be treated as a medical emergency. When this happens, it is known as malignant hypertension, or a hypertensive crisis.

Malignant hypertension happens when blood pressure spikes suddenly and extremely.

It can symptoms including severe headaches, vision problems, chest pain and nosebleeds. If you experience these suddenly, get medical help as soon as you can.

It’s possible to prevent malignant hypertension from occurring by checking blood pressure and keeping it under control if it is high.

It develops rapidly and is often a result of high blood pressure not being controlled properly.

According to the NHS, normal blood pressure is considered to be between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg.

High blood pressure is considered to be 140/90mmHg or higher. Malignant hypertension is considered to be 180/120mmHg or higher.

It’s vital to know if you have high blood pressure or not, as it can lead to serious health problems like heart attacks and strokes.

In order to determine how healthy your blood pressure is, you can get it checked at your GP surgery and in some pharmacies.

It’s also possible to buy a blood pressure monitor for home use, while some workplaces also offer blood pressure checking services.

The NHS advises all adults over the age of 40 get their blood pressure checked at least every five years.

“Getting this done is easy and could save your life,” said the NHS.

“If your blood pressure is too high, it puts extra strain on your blood vessels, heart and other organs, such as the brain, kidneys and eyes.

“Persistent high blood pressure can increase your risk of a number of serious and potentially life-threatening conditions.”

According to the NHS, even reducing high blood pressure by a small amount can help lower the risk of health complications, so it’s vital to know your reading.

High blood pressure can be lowered by making healthy lifestyle changes, such as improving your diet, drinking less alcohol and getting more exercise.

In some cases, medication may be prescribed to keep high blood pressure under control.

High blood pressure: Four ways to lower blood pressure

High blood pressure puts extra stress on blood vessels and vital organs. It increases the risk of some life-threatening heart conditions, including heart attacks and strokes.

Hypertension can often be prevented, and blood pressure reduced, by making some diet or lifestyle changes.

Healthy diet

Cutting back on the amount of salt in your diet is a great way to lower blood pressure.

Salt raises blood pressure, and the more you eat, the higher your blood pressure is likely to be.

Aim to eat less than 6g of salt a day – the equivalent to about a teaspoonful.

Alcohol

Blood pressure could be raised if you regularly drink too much alcohol.

Those most likely to have hypertension are people that regularly exceed the week recommended limits.

All adults are advised to drink less than 14 units of alcohol in a single week.

Weight loss

If you’re overweight, the heart has to work harder to pump blood around the body, which raises blood pressure.

Losing just a few pounds could make a big difference to your blood pressure and overall health.

Exercise

Staying active is one of the best ways to lower your blood pressure.

It helps you to lose weight, while also keeping the heart and blood vessels in good condition.

All adults should aim to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity every week.

source: express.co.uk