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Hypertension

Blood pressure
Blood pressure
Blood pressure
Blood pressure
Blood pressure check
Blood pressure check
DASH diet
DASH diet
Exercise can lower blood pressure
Exercise can lower blood pressure
High blood pressure tests
High blood pressure tests
Hypertension - overview
Hypertension - overview
Lifestyle changes
Lifestyle changes
Monitoring blood pressure
Monitoring blood pressure
Untreated hypertension
Untreated hypertension
Alternative Names

High blood pressure; HBP; Blood pressure - high


Symptoms

Most of the time, there are no symptoms. Symptoms that may occur include:

  • Chest pain
  • Confusion
  • Ear noise or buzzing
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Nosebleed
  • Tiredness
  • Vision changes

If you have a severe headache or any of the symptoms above, see your doctor right away. These may be signs of a complication or dangerously high blood pressure called malignant hypertension.


Signs and tests

Your health care provider will perform a physical exam and check your blood pressure. If the measurement is high, your doctor may think you have high blood pressure. The measurements need to be repeated over time, so that the diagnosis can be confirmed.

If you monitor your blood pressure at home, you may be asked the following questions:

  • What was your most recent blood pressure reading?
  • What was the previous blood pressure reading?
  • What is the average systolic (top number) and diastolic (bottom number) reading?
  • Has your blood pressure increased recently?

Other tests may be done to look for blood in the urine or heart failure. Your doctor will look for signs of complications to your heart, kidneys, eyes, and other organs in your body.

These tests may include:

  • Chem-20
  • Echocardiogram
  • Urinalysis
  • Ultrasound of the kidneys


Review Date: 04/23/2009
Reviewed By: Steven Kang, MD, Division of Cardiac Pacing and Electrophysiology, East Bay Arrhythmia, Cardiovascular Consultants Medical Group, Oakland, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).
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