Find in topic Formulary Print Share. View in. Language Chinese English. Authors: Michael J Bloch, MD, FACP, FASH, FSVM, FNLA Jan Basile, MD Section Editors: George L Bakris, MD Bernard J Gersh, MB, ChB, DPhil, FRCP, MACC Deputy Editors: Karen Law, MD, FACP John P Forman, MD, MSc Literature review current through: Jan This topic last updated: Apr 04, Hypertension accounts for an estimated 54 percent of all strokes and 47 percent of all ischemic heart disease events globally [ 2 ].

See "Overview of established risk factors for cardiovascular disease". In a large electronic medical record cohort of 1.

To continue reading this article, you must sign in with your personal, hospital, or group practice subscription. Subscribe Sign in. It does NOT include all information about conditions, treatments, medications, side effects, or risks that may apply to a specific patient.

It is not intended to be medical advice or a substitute for the medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment of a health care provider based on the health care provider's examination and assessment of a patient's specific and unique circumstances.

Patients must speak with a health care provider for complete information about their health, medical questions, and treatment options, including any risks or benefits regarding use of medications. This information does not endorse any treatments or medications as safe, effective, or approved for treating a specific patient.

UpToDate, Inc. and its affiliates disclaim any warranty or liability relating to this information or the use thereof. All rights reserved. According to the CDC , 7 in 10 people who experience a first heart attack and 8 in 10 people who experience a first stroke also have high blood pressure.

Blood pressure involves two numbers: systolic and diastolic. A normal blood pressure reading is less than millimeters of mercury mmHg systolic and less than 80 mmHg diastolic. According to the CDC , the most common form of heart disease is coronary artery disease CAD.

CAD can affect blood flow to the heart. If the heart does not get enough blood, a person can have a heart attack. Each year, approximately , people in the U. die from heart disease. A stroke occurs when the arteries leading to the brain burst or become blocked. When the brain no longer receives oxygen-rich blood, it can cause brain cells and the arteries to die.

According to the American Heart Association , stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability in the U. High blood pressure and heart disease may not present with any symptoms.

If a person experiences symptoms of a stroke, they will require urgent medical attention. According to the CDC , a person will likely never show symptoms or signs of high blood pressure.

A person will need to measure their blood pressure to know if they have hypertension. A person with heart disease may not experience any symptoms until they have a heart attack, heart failure, or arrhythmia.

When a person experiences a stroke, they may have one or more of the following symptoms :. Each condition shares some similar risk factors, including :.

Some medications a doctor may prescribe include :. Taking the above steps may also help a person lower their risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, or stroke.

A person who experiences a heart attack or stroke should seek emergency medical services or call If a person has had a stroke, medical professionals will prescribe medication or perform surgery to stop the bleeding and save the brain tissue. A person can keep track of their blood pressure at home and with regular visits to a doctor.

They may also visit a pharmacy with a digital blood pressure measurement machine. Regular blood pressure checks can help ensure treatment is working and help guide decisions on other methods that may help. Several at-home devices can measure blood pressure.

Before using a machine, a person should calibrate it with a doctor. People who do not want or cannot get a home blood pressure cuff should visit a doctor regularly to measure their blood pressure.

People living with hypertension should regularly consult a doctor to see how medication and lifestyle changes affect their blood pressure. A person can make adjustments in consultation with their doctor as needed based on how their blood pressure is responding.

A person should contact or emergency services immediately if they experience signs or symptoms of a heart attack or stroke. A person can take steps to reduce their risk for any of these conditions, including regular exercise, a healthy diet, avoiding smoking, and reducing stress.

In some cases, a person may need to take blood pressure medications to help prevent high blood pressure and reduce their risk of developing heart disease or stroke.

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a major global health concern. Read on to learn what causes hypertension, its symptoms, types, and how to…. High blood pressure hypertension often has no symptoms but, it can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and other life threatening….

A cardiac embolism is a blocked artery that occurs due to a blood clot that develops in or around the heart. Learn more here.

Hypertension accounts for an estimated 54 percent of all strokes and 47 percent of all ischemic heart disease events globally [ 2 ]. See "Overview of established risk factors for cardiovascular disease".

In a large electronic medical record cohort of 1. To continue reading this article, you must sign in with your personal, hospital, or group practice subscription. Subscribe Sign in. It does NOT include all information about conditions, treatments, medications, side effects, or risks that may apply to a specific patient.

It is not intended to be medical advice or a substitute for the medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment of a health care provider based on the health care provider's examination and assessment of a patient's specific and unique circumstances.

Patients must speak with a health care provider for complete information about their health, medical questions, and treatment options, including any risks or benefits regarding use of medications.

This information does not endorse any treatments or medications as safe, effective, or approved for treating a specific patient. UpToDate, Inc. and its affiliates disclaim any warranty or liability relating to this information or the use thereof.

All rights reserved. Topic Feedback. Components of cardiovascular risk factors in patients with hypertension. Coronary heart disease mortality related to blood pressure and age Stroke mortality related to blood pressure and age Additive effects of risk factors on cardiovascular disease at 5 years.

Coronary heart disease mortality related to blood pressure and age. Stroke mortality related to blood pressure and age. Talk with your health care team about regularly measuring your blood pressure at home, also called self-measured blood pressure SMBP monitoring. Many people with high blood pressure can lower their blood pressure into a healthy range or keep their numbers in a healthy range by making lifestyle changes.

Talk with your health care team about. Learn more about ways to manage and prevent high blood pressure. In addition to making positive lifestyle changes, some people with high blood pressure need to take medicine to manage their blood pressure.

By taking action to lower your blood pressure, you can help protect yourself against heart disease and stroke, also sometimes called cardiovascular disease CVD. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to search. Español Other Languages. High Blood Pressure Symptoms and Causes.

Minus Related Pages. On This Page. What is blood pressure? What do blood pressure numbers mean? What are normal blood pressure numbers? What is high blood pressure hypertension?

What are the signs and symptoms of high blood pressure? What causes high blood pressure? What problems does high blood pressure cause?

Heart Attack and Heart Disease How do I know if I have high blood pressure? What can I do to prevent or manage high blood pressure? View Larger. Download Image [JPG]. Learn about conditions related to high blood pressure.

Cholesterol Heart Disease High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy High Blood Pressure in Kids and Teens Pulmonary Hypertension Stroke. Measure Your Blood Pressure. Know Your Risk for High Blood Pressure. Prevent and Manage Your Blood Pressure. References Whelton PK, Carey RM, Aronow, WS, Casey DE, Collins KJ, Himmelfarb CD, et al.

J Am Coll Cardiol. National High Blood Pressure Education Program. The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure [PDF — K].

Bethesda, MD: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; Last Reviewed: May 18, Source: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion , Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention.

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. home High Blood Pressure Home. Other DHDSP Web Sites. Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Stroke Heart Disease Cholesterol Million Hearts® WISEWOMAN.

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Read more about losing weight and how your GP can help. If you drink alcohol, try not to exceed the recommended limit of 14 alcohol units a week for men and women.

If you do drink this much, you should aim to spread your drinking over 3 days or more. A unit of alcohol is roughly equivalent to half a pint of normal-strength lager or a single measure 25ml of spirits.

A small glass of wine ml is about 1. Your GP can give you help and advice if you're finding it difficult to cut down your drinking. If you have a particularly high risk of developing CVD due to high blood cholesterol, your GP may recommend taking medicines called statins to reduce your risk.

Page last reviewed: 22 April Next review due: 22 April Home Health A to Z Back to Health A to Z. Cardiovascular disease. Types of CVD There are many different types of CVD. Coronary heart disease Coronary heart disease occurs when the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle is blocked or reduced.

This puts an increased strain on the heart, and can lead to: angina — chest pain caused by restricted blood flow to the heart muscle heart attacks — where the blood flow to the heart muscle is suddenly blocked heart failure — where the heart is unable to pump blood around the body properly Read more about coronary heart disease.

Strokes and TIAs A stroke is where the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off, which can cause brain damage and possibly death. The main symptoms of a stroke or TIA can be remembered with the word FAST, which stands for: Face — the face may have drooped on one side, the person may be unable to smile, or their mouth or eye may have dropped.

Arms — the person may not be able to lift both arms and keep them there because of arm weakness or numbness in one arm. Speech — their speech may be slurred or garbled, they may not be able to talk at all or they may not be able to understand what you are saying to them.

Time — it's time to dial immediately if you see any of these signs or symptoms. Peripheral arterial disease Peripheral arterial disease occurs when there's a blockage in the arteries to the limbs, usually the legs. This can cause: dull or cramping leg pain, which is worse when walking and gets better with rest hair loss on the legs and feet numbness or weakness in the legs persistent ulcers open sores on the feet and legs Read more about peripheral arterial disease.

Aortic disease Aortic diseases are a group of conditions affecting the aorta. Causes of CVD The exact cause of CVD isn't clear, but there are lots of things that can increase your risk of getting it. High blood pressure High blood pressure hypertension is one of the most important risk factors for CVD.

Smoking Smoking and other tobacco use is also a significant risk factor for CVD. High cholesterol Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in the blood. Diabetes Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes your blood sugar level to become too high.

Inactivity If you don't exercise regularly, it's more likely that you'll have high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and be overweight. Being overweight or obese Being overweight or obese increases your risk of developing diabetes and high blood pressure, both of which are risk factors for CVD.

You're at an increased risk of CVD if: your body mass index BMI is 25 or above — use the BMI healthy weight calculator to work out your BMI you're a man with a waist measurement of 94cm about 37 inches or more, or a woman with a waist measurement of 80cm about Family history of CVD If you have a family history of CVD, your risk of developing it is also increased.

You're considered to have a family history of CVD if either: your father or brother were diagnosed with CVD before they were 55 your mother or sister were diagnosed with CVD before they were 65 Tell your doctor or nurse if you have a family history of CVD.

Ethnic background In the UK people of south Asian and Black African or African Caribbean background have an increased risk of getting CVD. This allows dangerous levels of fluid and waste to collect.

When the kidneys don't work well enough on their own, it's a serious condition called kidney failure. Treatment may include dialysis or a kidney transplant. High blood pressure is one of the most common causes of kidney failure. High blood pressure can damage the tiny, delicate blood vessels that supply blood to the eyes, causing:.

Trouble getting and keeping an erection is called erectile dysfunction. It becomes more and more common after age But people with high blood pressure are even more likely to have erectile dysfunction. That's because limited blood flow caused by high blood pressure can block blood from flowing to the penis.

High blood pressure can reduce blood flow to the vagina. Reduced blood flow to the vagina can lead to less sexual desire or arousal, vaginal dryness, or trouble having orgasms. High blood pressure usually is an ongoing condition that slowly causes damage over years.

But sometimes blood pressure rises so quickly and seriously that it becomes a medical emergency. When this happens, treatment is needed right away, often with hospital care. There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health.

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Products and services. High blood pressure dangers: Hypertension's effects on your body High blood pressure is a risk factor for more than heart disease. By Mayo Clinic Staff. Enlarge image High blood pressure complications Close.

High blood pressure complications High blood pressure can cause many complications. Thank you for subscribing! Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry. Show references Basile J, et al. Overview of hypertension in adults.

Accessed Aug. Health threats from high blood pressure. American Heart Association. High blood pressure. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Hypertensive crisis: When you should call for high blood pressure. How high blood pressure can lead to vision loss.

Transient ischemic attack TIA. American Stroke Association. Petersen R. Mild cognitive impairment: Epidemiology, pathology, and clinical assessment. Whelton PK, et al. Arnett DK, et al. Unger T, et al. Journal of Hypertension. Preventive Services Task Force.

The types of hypertensive heart disease include:. Coronary arteries transport blood to your heart muscle. When high blood pressure causes the blood vessels to become narrow, blood flow to the heart can slow or stop.

This condition is known as coronary heart disease CHD , also called coronary artery disease. CHD makes it difficult for your heart to function and supply the rest of your organs with blood. It can put you at risk for heart attack from a blood clot that gets stuck in one of the narrowed arteries and cuts off blood flow to your heart.

High blood pressure makes it difficult for your heart to pump blood. Like other muscles in your body, regular hard work causes your heart muscles to thicken and grow.

This alters the way the heart functions. These changes usually happen in the main pumping chamber of the heart, the left ventricle. The condition is known as left ventricular hypertrophy LVH. CHD can cause LVH and vice versa. When you have CHD, your heart must work harder.

If LVH enlarges your heart, it can compress the coronary arteries. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Over , Americans die from heart disease every year.

The main risk factor for hypertensive heart disease is high blood pressure. Your risk increases if:. Men are more likely to get heart disease than women who have not gone through menopause.

Men and postmenopausal women are equally at risk. Your risk for heart disease will increase as you age, regardless of your sex. Symptoms vary depending on the severity of the condition and progression of the disease. You may experience no symptoms, or your symptoms may include:.

You need emergency care if your heart is suddenly beating rapidly or irregularly. Seek emergency care immediately or call if you faint or have severe pain in your chest.

Regular physical exams will indicate whether you suffer from high blood pressure. If you do have high blood pressure, take extra care to look out for symptoms of heart disease.

Your doctor will review your medical history, conduct a physical exam, and run lab tests to check your kidneys, sodium, potassium, and blood count.

Treatment for hypertensive heart disease depends on the seriousness of your illness, your age, and your medical history. Medications help your heart in a variety of ways.