Hypertension – commonly known as high blood pressure is a common condition that affects the body’s arteries. If you have high blood pressure, the force of blood pushing against the artery walls is consistently too high. The heart has to work harder to pump blood.

According to the CDC early half of adults in the US have high blood pressure, and only one in four of these people have their blood pressure under control. Many people develop high blood pressure when they are in their late 30’s or early 40’s, and it occurs more frequently as people age. However, because of the obesity epidemic, more and more children are also developing high blood pressure.

If untreated, high blood pressure raises the risk of heart attack, heart failure, stroke and other serious health problems, including kidney and eye problems, dementia, and metabolic syndrome, a group of conditions that increases the risk of diabetes.

Hypertension usually develops with no symptoms

High blood pressure can be a silent disease; people can have it without realizing it. “If high blood pressure isn’t treated, it can damage blood vessels and organs over many years,” according to Bianca Bandarra, M.B.B.S., a general practitioner and executive health physician at Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London. “Because of that, we need to be proactive about prevention and early diagnosis. A simple blood pressure check is an important screening tool. People with conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease or a family history of hypertension may need more frequent monitoring.”

If you have a family history of hypertension — for example, if one or both of your parents have it — it is sensible to be proactive and discuss with your healthcare team whether additional steps, such as monitoring your blood pressure at home, are appropriate.

Hypertension usually develops without symptoms, some people may notice warning signs if blood pressure becomes severely elevated. “Very high readings can sometimes be associated with headaches, especially in a hypertensive crisis,” according to Dr. Bandarra. “Some people may also feel pressure or discomfort behind their eyes.”

Blurred vision, chest pain, palpitations, nosebleeds, shortness of breath and feeling tired and generally unwell can also occur, though these symptoms are not specific to hypertension and can have other causes. If you experience these symptoms, especially if they are new or severe, seek medical attention promptly.

How can you manage your high blood pressure?

Treatment of high blood pressure often starts with lifestyle changes, including decreasing salt in your diet, losing weight if necessary, stopping smoking, cutting down on alcohol use, and engaging in regular exercise.

In addition to lifestyle changes, medications are often used to lower blood pressure. There are several types of medications that treat high blood pressure with each type of medication having benefits and risks that should be carefully weighed by you and your health care professional. Most people take more than one medication in order to bring their blood pressure down to their treatment goal.

High blood pressure is a common problem with a complex set of solutions. Even those who have a primary care provider may need more than one clinician to solve the problem. The guidelines now emphasize team-based care for hypertension, expanding the responsibility beyond primary care physicians to include nurses, pharmacists, dieticians and community health workers. Team care could also include increased home-based monitoring, telehealth and electronic communication. And health care systems can collaborate with community programs to offer more blood pressure screening in non-clinical settings.

Researchers have known for a while that hypertension raises the risk of stroke and heart disease. More recent studies, however, showed that even small changes can have significant impacts. “It is a silent disease, so we have to do more to encourage community awareness,” states David Lee, MD, professor of cardiovascular medicine.

References:

https://www.newswise.com/articles/high-blood-pressure-can-happen-at-any-age-expert-shares-prevention-tips

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/information-consumers-and-patients-drugs/high-blood-pressure-understanding-silent-killer

https://med.stanford.edu/news/insights/2025/11/high-blood-pressure-hypertension-dangers.html

https://www.cdc.gov/high-blood-pressure/data-research/facts-stats/index.html