If you have been diagnosed with hypertension, that means that you have high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the measure of the force of blood upon your blood vessel walls, and that pressure should be steady and normal – not too high or too low.
Hypertension is called “the silent killer” because patients usually do not experience any signs or symptoms until the condition is advanced, and the damage is already occurring within their body. Although hypertension does not have obvious symptoms, there are indicators of whether you may be at risk or not.
How Do I Know if I Have Hypertension?
One of the most dangerous aspects of having high blood pressure is that you don’t necessarily know that you have it. You can only know for sure if you are diagnosed by a physician.
The symptoms overlap with those of other health conditions, which is why it requires a doctor’s evaluation in order to know whether you have hypertension. Some symptoms include the following:
- Severe headaches
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling like your head is too heavy to carry
- You can hear and feel pounding in your chest, ear, and neck
- Fatigue
- Confusion
- Nosebleeds
- Sudden vision problems
- Chest pain
If you are experiencing or have recently experienced any of these symptoms listed above, it is best to seek medical attention immediately.
What Are the Risks of High Blood Pressure?
You might have a higher chance of developing hypertension if you have one or more family members suffering from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure. Those who are over the age of 35, not very physically active, and overweight are also at a higher risk.
Lifestyle and diet largely contribute to a person’s level of risk of having hypertension. If you are a smoker, drink alcohol regularly, and eat fried, fatty, salty foods, your chances of getting hypertension also increases.
How Common Is Hypertension?
Hypertension is a common medical condition that affects about 75 million American adults – almost 30% of the population – according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). Among these people with high blood pressure, only about half have their condition under control.
Because preventing hypertension is better than having to cure it later, it is important to know the signs and symptoms of high blood pressure. Receiving a diagnosis and treatment during the early stages can help to prevent it from developing into heart disease or stroke.
Family Doctor in Dearborn, MI
If you are looking for a primary care physician (PCP) who can help you prevent or manage your high blood pressure condition, schedule an appointment with Dr. Sham Maghout-Juratli. Dr. Sham specializes in family medicine, taking care of teenagers, adults, and senior citizens. She and her team will partner with you in keeping your heart and cardiovascular system healthy.
Contact us today by calling our friendly staff at (313) 451-8253, or request an appointment now via our easy-to-use online form. We look forward to seeing you here.
