Symptoms that might reveal that you suffer from high blood pressure

High blood pressure is characterised by high blood pressure in the arteries. It is not a disease but a risk factor. High blood pressure increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack, stroke or angina pectoris. Knowing that you suffer from high blood pressure is important because it allows you to prevent the damage it can cause. There are certain symptoms associated with high blood pressure. A medical check-up will be able to establish whether you actually suffer from high blood pressure and how to intervene to treat it (source: Humanitas Hospital Milan).

Those who suffer from high blood pressure may experience the following symptoms: headache (especially in the morning), lightheadedness and dizziness, ringing in the ears, altered vision, and nosebleeds. In all cases, it is recommended to consult a physician so that he or she can perform the necessary medical investigations.

Primary hypertension accounts for 95 per cent of all cases of high blood pressure and has no clear-cut, identifiable and treatable cause. In 5% of cases, however, high blood pressure is caused by diseases, either congenital or acquired, which may affect the heart, kidneys, adrenals or blood vessels.

Certain factors predispose to high blood pressure. These include family history, age, excess weight, diabetes, smoking, sodium and potassium imbalance, alcohol, stress and sedentary lifestyle.

The use, and especially the abuse, of some substances could cause high blood pressure. These are, in particular, cortisone, birth control pills, narcotics, nasal sprays, and licorice.