High blood pressure gets its famous ‘silent killer’ title from its almost complete lack of symptoms until things become serious. If it’s not treated, it can increase your risk of serious conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease and vascular dementia.
Damien, an advanced nurse practitioner, took to TikTok (@Anpdamo) with five warning signs that this “silent killer” is taking control of your health. These need to be raised with a health professional, as they can properly diagnose the condition and talk through treatment options.
He said: “Most people with high blood pressure feel absolutely fine, that’s why it’s known as a silent killer. [This is] something that affects one in three adults in the UK, and most people don’t even know it.”
One subtle sign could be headaches that you notice in the morning, says Damien. He explained: “Not every headache, but persistent headaches when you wake up can be a warning sign that is not to be ignored.”
He went on to suggest other possible symptoms you may want to raise with your GP, such as blurred vision, seeing spots or episodes where your vision goes funny He said: “Your eyes have tiny blood vessels that are very sensitive to these pressure changes.”
Experiencing shortness of breath when doing something that shouldn’t be so physically demanding is another common sign. It can be something as simple as climbing the stairs being enough to “leave you a little bit more breathless than usual”.
The nurse practitioner said that this is a sign that your heart is working harder than it’s meant to. On their own, nosebleeds are usually nothing serious. But frequent or heavy nosebleeds combined with any of the other symptoms above should not be ignored.
The fifth sign is one that is “often overlooked”, says Damien, as it’s not something physically ‘wrong’. He said: “Patients often discuss a feeling that they can’t explain, and this is feeling anxious [or] restless “
How to get blood pressure checked
Many pharmacies offer free blood pressure checks for people aged 40 or over. These checks can also happen at a GP surgery if you think you might have high blood pressure or might be at risk of having high blood pressure.
- You often have headaches or blurred vision
- You have chest pain that comes and goes
- You have other symptoms that you’re worried could be caused by high blood pressure
The only way to find out for certain if you have high blood pressure is to get your blood pressure checked. While the condition shows few warning signs, some symptoms may point towards this being the problem.
It is possible to regain control of high blood pressure through medication and lifestyle changes, including diet. The NHS suggests that people should aim to do “at least 150 minutes of exercise a week” to lower their risk of hypertension.