High blood pressure

High blood pressure is a serious condition that can lead to health complications over time, even though it often has no symptoms.

Hypertension and high blood pressure are different terms for the same condition, but healthcare professionals will often use the term hypertension if you have high blood pressure.

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. When this force is consistently too high (high blood pressure/hypertension), your heart has to work extra hard to pump blood throughout your body. Over time, this increased effort can lead to serious health problems, such as heart attacks or heart failure.

There are several reasons that can increase your chances of developing high blood pressure, but often there's no identifiable cause.

• Family history of high blood pressure
• Age-related factors
• Obesity
• Inactivity
• Smoking and vaping
• Alcohol
• High stress
• Kidney disease
• Diabetes
• Sleep apnea
• Pregnancy
• Accumulation of plaque in the arteries, called atherosclerosis
• Some medications and underlying health conditions

High blood pressure (hypertension) is often called the ‘silent killer’ because it can have no symptoms at all. You might be unaware that you have high blood pressure.

Rarely are there symptoms, but occasionally people with extremely high blood pressure may experience shortness of breath, blurred vision, or headaches.

The best way to find out if you have hypertension is to have your blood pressure measured regularly.

There are different levels of blood pressure, ranging from normal to high to severely high. The best way to know if you have hypertension is to have a blood pressure check regularly.

Blood pressure is written as two numbers, for example, 120/80:

• Normal blood pressure is lower than 120/80
• Elevated blood pressure is when the top number is 120–129, and the bottom number is still below 80
• High blood pressure (hypertension) is 130/80 or higher

The higher the numbers go above this, the more severe the high blood pressure can become.

If you have an existing heart condition, your healthcare provider may recommend a lower blood pressure target based on your condition, age, and overall health to reduce strain on your heart.