High blood pressure - symptoms and treatment (2024)

Many people with high blood pressure do well, so it's important to have your blood pressure checked regularly.

Symptoms of high blood pressure

High blood pressure rarely has noticeable symptoms. The following may be symptoms of high blood pressure:

• blurry sight
• bloody nose
• shortness of breath
• chestpain
• dizziness
• headache.

More than 1 in 4 adults in Britain have high blood pressure, but many don't want to know they have it. Many people with high blood pressure are fine. But even if you feel well, you should still have your blood pressure checked regularly. If you are a healthy adult over 40, it is advisable to have this checked at least once every five years. But if you have an increased risk of high blood pressure, you should have it checked more often, preferably once a year.

Where you can get your blood pressure checked

You can have your blood pressure checked at:

• general practitioners
• some pharmacies
• some workplaces

If you are between 40 and 74 years old, you can apply for oneNHS health checkonly in England, but similar schemes are available in other parts of the UK. Your doctor must write to you about this every five years, but you can also simply make an appointment to have your blood pressure checked.

Lower your blood pressure

Here are some ways you can reduce your risk of high blood pressure:

Read our tips abouthow to lower your blood pressure.

Jasmine shares her story about how she got her blood pressure down:

Check out ourspages about a healthy lifestylefor more help with lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Lifestyle changes you can make

If you are already being treated for high blood pressure and are unsure, you should make an appointment with your doctor. Do not stop taking your medicine unless your doctor tells you to.

Medication and treatment for high blood pressure

There are many medications available to lower blood pressure. Your doctor will offer you medication if your blood pressure is considered high and any of the following apply to you:

• if you have damage to the blood vessels in your heart, brain, kidneys or eyes
• if you have cardiovascular disease, or if you are at high risk of developing it
• if you have kidney disease
• if you have diabetes

Your doctor may also recommend that you take medications to lower your blood pressure if your blood pressure is persistently very high, regardless of any other problems you have.

Medicines to treat high blood pressure:

• ACE-remmers
• Angiotensine-receptorblokkers (ARB's)
• Calcium channel blockers
• Diuretic
• Alfablokkers (Doxazocine)
• Beta blockers

Most people need more than one type of medication to lower their blood pressure, and research shows that taking two or more medications often has a much better effect than taking just one medication.

Help and support

If you have high blood pressure, it's important to know you're not alone. It is important to find support from people around you and from health professionals. Be sure to monitor your blood pressure and keep a regular diary of your readings so you can see your progress.

Come join usHealth unlocked community.

Call ourHeart helplineto speak to one of our cardiac nurses. They can provide you with information and support about cardiovascular disease and its risk factors.