In general high blood pressure does not produce any symptoms at all and, in fact, the first it may be detectedis either on a routine medical check or if someone suffers from one of its complications such as a stroke or heart attack. There is an extreme form of hypertension called malignant hypertension,now most unusual, in which blood pressure reaches spectacularly high levels. People with this condition may indeed suffer blurred vision and severe throbbing headaches but this is a rare possibility. Usually blood pressure would be detected with a sphygmomanometer (a blood pressure measuring device) applied to the upper arm. This gives two pressure readings expressed as millimetres of mercury eg 120 mm mercury or 70 mm mercury. Systolicpressure is the maximum pressure within arteries as the heart beats. Diastolic pressure is the lowest pressure within the arteries in between heartbeats.
The readings from the sphygmomanometer indicate whether you have hypertension and also the degree of hypertension; this together with the results of blood tests helps to decide if and when you require treatment.Just what is a hypertensive reading is based on agreed recommendations from world medical organisations. Currently,hypertension is defined as an upper level of blood pressure (systolic blood pressure) above 140 mm mercury and a lower level of blood pressure (diastolic bloodpressure) above 90. These limits vary depending on the rest of your medical status; for example the targetsfor people with diabetesare now even lower than this. As well as following your blood pressure doctors will also want to make an ECG recording of your heart and will take a variety of blood tests aimed mainly at checking the status of your kidneys but also looking for some of the rarer hormone conditions mentioned earlier. These tests will also include cholesterol.
