What is considered a high blood pressure reading?
140/90 mmHg or over.
Hence, the only way to know for sure if you have high blood pressure is to get your blood pressure measured. Full stop.
For most adults, blood pressure readings fall into the following categories:
- Healthy range: Clinic/home BP <135/85
- Stage 1 Hypertension: Clinic BP ≥140/90 mmHg – repeat 2 weeks later – treat some
- Stage 2 Hypertension: Clinic BP ≥160/100 mmHg – treat soon
- Severe Hypertension: Clinic BP ≥180/120 mmHg
- Needs medical attention
- Treat now
- Investigate for secondary cause.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help lower your blood pressure and reduce the risks of hypertension.
Does high blood pressure have any symptoms?
No, not usually. High blood pressure typically doesn’t have any warning signs. That’s why it’s often called the ‘silent killer.’ Because there may not be any symptoms, many people are unaware that they have high blood pressure.
However, early detection of hypertension is key as it can increase your risk of ischaemic heart disease (IHD), stroke, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and more.
If your blood pressure is dangerously high (especially if it has gone up rapidly), you may have the following symptoms:
- Headaches
- Visual disturbance
- Nosebleeds
- Palpitations
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Of an underlying cause.
But, it’s important to know about your high blood pressure and the health risks it poses before it gets to this stage.
The only way to know for sure if you have hypertension is to get your blood pressure measured. You can then work with your doctor to find the treatment options that work best for keeping your blood pressure in a healthy range.
