High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Risk Factors and Symptoms. Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a condition that can lead to serious complications that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and death. High blood pressure typically develops over the years and ultimately affects almost everyone. Luckily, high blood pressure can be easily diagnosed. And when you have high blood pressure, you can work with your doctor to check it. Here, we will explain high blood pressure risk factors and symptoms in the following text.
High Blood Pressure
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries continuously increases. High blood pressure typically does not cause symptoms. Hypertension can cause brain hemorrhage and stroke, loss of vision in the eye, heart failure and heart attack, renal failure in the kidneys, and narrowing of all vessels. If blood pressure values are kept within normal limits, hypertension patients are protected from these diseases.
High Blood Pressure Risk Factors
20% of the population has hypertension, which is about 40% in the 45-54 age group and about 50% in the 55-64 age group. For this reason, individuals from all age groups of the society should have their blood pressure checked at least once a year. A number of risk factors increase your risk of hypertension.
- Age: Hypertension is more common in people over sixty years of age. With age, blood pressure may increase as the arteries become stiffer and narrow due to plaque build-up.
- Ethnicity: Some ethnic groups are more likely to develop hypertension.
- Alcohol and tobacco use: Consuming excessive alcohol regularly and using tobacco products can increase the risk of hypertension.
- Gender: Lifetime risk is the same for men and women, but it is seen as more commonly in men.
- Current health conditions: Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and high cholesterol levels can cause hypertension.
Obesity Risk Factors and Treatment
Other risk factors can be listed as:
- Physical inactivity
- High-salt foods associated with processed and fatty foods
- Low potassium diets
- Some diseases and medicines
High Blood Pressure Symptoms
High blood pressure or hypertension is called the silent killer, because there are usually no signs or symptoms, and many people don’t even know that they have it. The most prominent symptoms of hypertension include headache, dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain, and visual impairment due to high blood pressure. Also, among the symptoms of hypertension:
- Fatigue,
- Nose bleeding,
- Tinnitus (Ringing in ears),
- Difficulty walking and climbing stairs,
- Sometimes you urinate too often,
- Waking up at night to urinate
