High blood pressure usually does not have symptoms. High blood pressure has been termed a “silent killer” because although people may not have symptoms, progressive damage can occur to the heart, blood vessels, and other organs. People can have high blood pressure for years and not know it. The only way to find out if you have high blood pressure is to have your blood pressure checked.

Severe high blood pressure and malignant high blood pressure can cause headaches, vision problems, lightheadedness, nausea, and vomiting. Malignant high blood pressure, a hypertensive crisis, is high blood pressure that rises rapidly. The diastolic blood pressure often exceeds 140 mmHg. You should go to a hospital emergency department if your diastolic pressure is greater than 100 mm Hg. You should call an ambulance if you experience the symptoms of a stroke or heart attack, which may include severe headache, dizziness, fainting, blurred vision, loss of vision, chest pain, shortness of breath at rest, and weakness.

Diagnosis
The only way to find out if you have high blood pressure is to have it measured with a blood pressure cuff. Having your blood pressure checked is quick and painless. A blood pressure cuff is placed around your arm and inflated. As air in the cuff is released, a person listens to your pulse. Blood pressure is classified as normal, prehypertension, or high.


Classification Systolic Diastolic
Normal Less than 120 Less than 80
Prehypertension 120-130 80-89
High Blood Pressure- Stage 1 140-159 90-99
High Blood Pressure- Stage 2 160 or Higher 100 or Higher


If you have high blood pressure, your doctor may order tests to check your organs for damage. Such tests may include blood tests, urine tests, an eye exam, or imaging tests. Specific tests may be used to detect heart or blood vessel damage.