Symptoms of hypertension range from mild to more severe

Of the various health problems that dominate the world of modern health, hypertension is one that needs to be watched out for. The reason is, high blood pressure or hypertension often does not cause symptoms, but can cause various health problems.

Some of the dangers or complications of high blood pressure that may be caused, such as heart failure, heart attack, stroke, or kidney failure. In fact, if kidney failure has occurred, you may need a kidney transplant or dialysis. For this reason, it is important for you to be aware of the signs and symptoms of high blood pressure as early as possible in order to avoid getting worse hypertension.

Symptoms of high blood pressure or hypertension to watch out for

High blood pressure often shows no particular features, signs, or symptoms. The only way to find out high blood pressure is through a blood pressure test. If your blood pressure is below 120/80 mmHg, then you have normal blood pressure, but if your blood pressure reaches 140/90 mmHg or more, then you are classified as hypertension.

Even though they have no obvious signs or symptoms, some people with a history of hypertension often complain of several symptoms. Generally, this symptom can be felt if you have other health conditions that may be the cause of hypertension or what is also known as a type of secondary hypertension. In addition, symptoms can also be felt if you have very high blood pressure or what is called a hypertensive crisis.

Here are some of the most common and most common symptoms associated with high blood pressure:

1. Red spots on the eyes

The American Heart Association (AHA) calls red eye patches (subconjunctival bleeding) one of the most common symptoms of high blood pressure. Apart from hypertension sufferers, this symptom is also sometimes found in diabetics.

However, high blood pressure and diabetes are not the cause of these red patches. Therefore, you should immediately see a doctor if there are similar symptoms in your eyes. An ophthalmologist (ophthalmologist) can detect any damage to the optic nerve of your eye, which may be caused by untreated high blood pressure.

2. The face turns red

In addition to red spots on the eyes, the AHA also said that people with high blood pressure often complain of facial flushing symptoms.

Your face turns red due to enlargement of the blood vessels in your face. This condition can usually occur suddenly, or is a response to certain conditions, such as exposure to sunlight, cold air, spicy food, wind, hot drinks, or certain facial care products.

Redness on the face can also occur due to psychological pressure or stress, exposure to hot water, alcohol consumption, and exercise. These conditions can temporarily trigger high blood pressure, causing redness to appear.

Although facial flushing may occur due to high blood pressure, this condition is not always caused by this disease.

3. Dizziness

Dizziness is a side effect or symptom of many conditions. In fact, consumption of certain drugs can also cause dizziness to appear. So, do not rule out the dizziness that you experience is part of the symptoms of high blood pressure.

Not all types of dizziness can be caused by hypertension. However, you should not underestimate these symptoms, especially if dizziness appears suddenly.

You also need to be vigilant if dizziness is accompanied by other symptoms of high blood pressure, such as loss of balance and difficulty walking. These symptoms of high blood pressure have the potential to trigger a stroke.

4. Headache

Unlike dizziness, which is generally just a spinning sensation in the head, headaches are a more serious symptom of high blood pressure or hypertension. You may experience a throbbing pain (throbbing) in your head.

However, just like dizziness, headaches are not a symptom that is directly caused by hypertension. Headaches generally occur when a person experiences very high blood pressure or what is called a hypertensive crisis or malignant hypertension.

When hypertension is malignant, the headache is different from the usual headache. Generally, there are other symptoms that will also be felt along with this headache, such as blurred vision, chest pain or shortness of breath.

In addition, headaches in people with hypertension may also occur because high blood pressure can cause brain swelling (which is also common in malignant hypertension), other medical conditions that cause hypertension (secondary hypertension), or side effects of hypertension drugs.

Therefore, to treat headaches due to hypertension is generally done by treating the cause, be it malignant hypertension, secondary hypertension, or changing high blood medication according to the doctor's requirements.

5. Shortness of breath

If high blood pressure affects the blood vessels in your heart and lungs, you may experience shortness of breath.

This condition is called pulmonary hypertension, which is when the right side of the heart has difficulty pumping blood through the lungs, so that oxygenated blood cannot flow properly.

Apart from pulmonary hypertension, shortness of breath can also occur if you have regular hypertension or systemic hypertension. However, these symptoms are generally felt when you experience crisis or malignant hypertension.

6. Blood appears in the urine

Another symptom of hypertension that you need to watch out for is the presence of blood in the urine. When you urinate and there is blood in your urine, it is possible that your hypertension is related to kidney problems.

Blood may also not be visible in the urine, but you will see red blood cells when examined under a microscope. Therefore, if your doctor suspects that your hypertension is related to kidney disease, you may be asked to do a urine test to confirm the diagnosis.

This bloody urine condition is called hematuria. One of the main causes is the rupture of the cyst in the kidney, or the presence of small blood vessels around the cyst. This one symptom of high blood pressure usually lasts for a day or several days.

7. Irregular heartbeat

Another symptom of high blood pressure or hypertension is an irregular heartbeat. This condition generally occurs when the heart beats too fast, irregularly, or even stops beating for a fraction of a second.

In addition, you may feel your heart beating too hard or being forced. Sometimes, you will also feel the sensation in the throat, neck, and jaw.

In this condition, generally the high blood pressure you experience has developed into an arrhythmia. Arrhythmias can also increase the risk of heart failure.

8. Nose bleeding or nosebleeds

Nosebleeds or nose bleeds are less common symptoms of hypertension. This can happen to people with hypertension, but the cases are very rare.

Experts are still debating what causes this condition. However, reported by the Mayo Clinic, someone who experiences a nosebleed can get worse when accompanied by high blood pressure.

In older adults, nosebleeds can occur due to hardening of the blood vessels or what is called atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis can be caused by high blood pressure.

Various conditions can accompany the symptoms of hypertension

Other signs and symptoms of high blood pressure that may appear if your condition is severe include:

• Blurry vision.
• Excessive anxiety.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Looks confused.
• Pain in the chest area.
• Numbness or weakness in the arms, legs, face and other areas of the body.
• Seizures.

How often you need a blood pressure check varies from case to case, depending on the severity of your high blood pressure symptoms. In general, if you are concerned about your current symptoms of high blood pressure, see a doctor immediately.

When to see a doctor?

If there are symptoms of high blood pressure that appear, as mentioned above, you must immediately be hospitalized for medical treatment. The reason is, these symptoms indicate that the hypertension you have is already severe.

This condition is commonly referred to as a hypertensive crisis or malignant hypertension, which is a rapid rise in blood pressure that reaches 180/120 mmHg or more. Hypertensive crises are usually treated with intravenous drugs. If not treated promptly and appropriately, this can lead to other diseases, such as stroke or heart attack.

To prevent this, you should check your blood pressure regularly as early as possible. For healthy adults, you should check your blood pressure every two years.

However, if you have prehypertension (blood pressure between 120/80 mmHg and 140/90 mmHg), you should have your blood pressure checked once a year or as directed by your doctor. The reason is, someone who has prehypertension is at risk of developing hypertension in the future.

Meanwhile, if you have hypertension, your doctor will usually advise you to check your blood pressure more often. Especially if you feel certain symptoms that lead to other diseases.

If you are unable to visit the doctor regularly, you may be able to check your blood pressure at the nearest health center or pharmacy. You can also purchase a blood pressure gauge for use at home. However, it's good to always consult with your doctor about checking blood pressure that is right for you.

If you have hypertension, your doctor will usually give you a low dose of treatment first. Some of the high blood pressure medications that doctors usually prescribe are diuretics, angiotensin receptor blockers, beta-blockers , and other high blood pressure medication.

However, your doctor will also ask you to make lifestyle changes and a healthy diet to lower blood pressure. This healthy lifestyle includes regular exercise, a hypertensive diet, and eating more vegetables and fruit which can help treat symptoms and prevent the increase in blood pressure.

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