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Symptoms and causes of High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure causes

High blood pressure (BP) is dubbed the ‘silent killer‘ as symptoms are uncommon in the initial stages. This results in many people left undiagnosed and untreated. Some people experience the coincidental occurrence of certain symptoms such as headaches, nosebleed and fatigue.

 

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  2. Cardiovascular
  3. High blood pressure
  4. High blood pressure causes
  • Main factors that contribute to high blood pressure
  • Smoking and high blood pressure
  • How to know if I have high blood pressure?
  • Very high blood pressure readings
  • References

Main factors that contribute to high blood pressure

Main factors that contribute to high blood pressure

Smoking and high blood pressure

Smoking is an important risk factor for high blood pressure (BP). When you smoke, your BP is temporarily raised and this increases your risk of damaged arteries. Continuous smoking induces narrowing and stiffness of the arteries which may persist for a decade after smoking cessation.

The effects of tobacco can be disastrous to your health, more so if you are already at risk for high BP. Smoking can significantly increase the risk of secondary cardiovascular complications such as heart attack and stroke, and enhance kidney damage. Even secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart disease for non-smokers.

If you haven’t given up smoking already, it certainly is well worth to do so not only for BP control but also for your overall health. You can find tips on smoking cessation here.

 Smoking and high blood pressure

How to know if I have high blood pressure?

How to know if I have high blood pressure?

High blood pressure (BP) is dubbed the ‘silent killer‘ as symptoms are uncommon in the initial stages. This results in many people left undiagnosed and untreated. Some people experience the coincidental occurrence of certain symptoms such as headaches, nosebleed and fatigue. While these symptoms should not be ignored, they also are not reliable indicators of high BP. You should consult your doctor for a confirmed diagnosis of high BP.1

Because high BP is usually not accompanied by symptoms, the best way to detect high BP is by always keeping track of your BP reading. Therefore, you should have your BP checked at least once a year as high BP can develop silently. Nevertheless, if you have already developed high BP, timely detection, treatment and monitoring can help keep your BP in check. The following can be used as a guide on when to have your BP checked5

How to know if I have high blood pressure?

Very high blood pressure readings

If you have very high blood pressure (BP) readings, you may notice the presence of certain symptoms, including6,7:

Very high blood pressure readings

Don’t take chances. Keep regular tabs of your BP reading and stop the silent killer in its tracks!

References

  1. World Health Organization. A global brief on hypertension. Available at http://www.who.int/cardiovascular_diseases/publications/global_brief_hypertension/en/. Accessed 19 September, 2019.
  2. Blood Pressure UK. Smoking. Available at http://www.bloodpressureuk.org/microsites/u40/Home/lifestyle/Smoking. Accessed 19 September, 2019.
  3. UpToDate. Smoking and hypertension. Available at http://www.uptodate.com/contents/smoking-and-hypertension. Accessed 19 September, 2019.
  4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smoking & tobacco use. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/health_effects/ index.htm#heart. Accessed 19 September, 2019.
  5. Ministry of Health Malaysia. Clinical practice guidelines: Management of hypertension (4th Edition); 2013.
  6. NHS choices. High blood pressure (Hypertension)-symptoms. Available at http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/blood-pressure-(high)/pages/symptoms.aspx. Accessed 19 September, 2019.
  7. MSD Manual Consumer Version. High blood pressure (Hypertension). Available at http://www.msdmanuals.com/home/heart-and-blood-vessel-disorders/high-blood-pressure/ high-blood-pressure. Accessed 19 September, 2019.

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