High Blood Pressure: Symptoms

Hypertension is a insidious condition that can remain asymptomatic for a long time while the person is already affected by the disease and the vessels are suffering damage unnoticed. High blood pressure should ideally be detected before it leads to noticeable symptoms. The sooner hypertension is recognized as such, the better it can be treated, and the person remains free from further consequential damage for a longer time. What symptoms and signs can high blood pressure lead to, and what should be done if one notices these in oneself?

Symptoms:

Headaches, especially in the morning
Sleep disturbances
Nervousness
Red face
Dizziness
Tinnitus
Nosebleeds
Shortness of breath
Fatigue/easy fatigability
Nausea
Palpitations / arrhythmias
Visual disturbances

Morning Headache and Sleepless Nights

Normally, blood pressure decreases in the evening and at night, reaching its lowest point during sleep (see Blood Pressure Throughout the Day). This serves to provide inner calm and ensures, among other things, that a person can sleep peacefully. If there is no nighttime drop in blood pressure, it can lead to sleep disturbances.

In mild cases and early stages of hypertension, the affected person can usually fall asleep and stay asleep, but may wake up in the morning with headaches. These are mainly located at the back of the head and often disappear on their own during the day. However, sometimes they persist all day and further weaken the patient.

Visible Nervousness

Increased blood pressure values can also indicate a permanent nervousness and tension.

Red Face

A red face - possibly with visible fine veins - is often suspected as a symptom of hypertension, but usually has other causes.

A strongly reddened face, on the other hand - possibly accompanied by headaches, nausea, shortness of breath, and dizziness - can indicate an acute hypertensive crisis or even a hypertensive emergency. This involves a sudden, sharp increase in blood pressure. A hypertensive crisis requires immediate medical treatment - possibly by an emergency doctor, to prevent it from escalating into a hypertensive emergency, which represents a life-threatening condition.

Dizziness and Tinnitus

Since hypertension affects the sense of balance, it can lead to dizziness and tinnitus. This is due to the fact that a person can hear their own blood circulation. Sometimes this dizziness is accompanied by temporary visual disturbances, which, however, are perceived differently from person to person.

Sudden, Unexplained Nosebleeds

Hypertension also overstrains the fine vessels in the nasal mucosa, making them more likely to burst. This leads to nosebleeds. If you frequently suffer from unexplained nosebleeds, we recommend consulting a doctor.

Shortness of Breath and Low Exercise Tolerance

Many hypertension patients describe shortness of breath as a gradual process. They suddenly find it not so easy to climb stairs - in fact, they haven't for quite some time. The walk with the dog, which always went effortlessly, now becomes a strenuous effort. They gasp for air or the affected person frequently stops briefly to take a deep breath. Shortness of breath is a common accompanying symptom of high blood pressure.

Nausea

Nausea alone is not a definitive symptom. However, if it occurs frequently or together with other symptoms that are typical for hypertension, the cause should be clarified.

Hypertension Symptoms - What to Do?

One of the listed symptoms alone does not necessarily mean that hypertension is present. Especially if two or more of these complaints occur simultaneously or the complaints persist or occur frequently, a doctor should be consulted.

The typical precursors and signs of hypertension are often downplayed, as they are hardly concerning for the affected person when they occur alone and they do eventually go away. However, if they are taken lightly, a serious case of hypertension can quickly be overlooked - and in this harmful condition, every case is fundamentally serious.

Sources:

This article is medically reviewed. Last updated by Sabine Croci (11/2024).
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