High blood pressure, or hypertension, typically doesn’t have symptoms unless it is an emergency situation. You typically need to have your blood pressure checked to know it is high.

High blood pressure usually causes no symptoms, and you can have it for years without knowing.

Unmanaged high blood pressure causes damage to your arteries, especially those in your kidneys and eyes. It can also increase your risk of stroke, heart attack, and other cardiovascular problems.

Typically, the only way to know you have hypertension is to get your blood pressure checked.

High blood pressure usually does not cause obvious symptoms.

But you can have symptoms if you’re experiencing a hypertensive crisis. This happens if your blood pressure suddenly spikes to 180 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or above for the systolic pressure (first number) or 120 mm Hg or above for the diastolic pressure (second number).

A hypertensive crisis is a medical emergency. It may cause symptoms such as:

If you’re checking your own blood pressure and you get a reading that high, wait a few minutes and then check again to make sure the first reading was accurate.

If your second blood pressure reading still shows a systolic pressure of 180 mm Hg or above or a diastolic pressure of 120 mm Hg or above, don’t wait to see whether your blood pressure comes down on its own. Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.

An emergency hypertensive crisis can result in severe complications, including:

People typically experience a hypertensive crisis if they skip medications or have secondary high blood pressure (high blood pressure that results from another health condition).

High blood pressure is generally a chronic condition. You may be more likely to get it if you:

  • smoke cigarettes
  • have family members with high blood pressure
  • consume a lot of salt, alcohol, or caffeine
  • don’t get enough physical activity
  • have another health condition, such as obesity or diabetes
  • take certain medications

There are two main types of hypertension.

Primary hypertension (also known as essential hypertension) is high blood pressure that doesn’t result from a specific cause. Instead, it develops gradually over time. Many cases of primary hypertension are attributed to hereditary factors.

Secondary hypertension is high blood pressure that happens as a direct result of a separate health condition.

High blood pressure can occur during pregnancy. Risk factors include:

  • obesity
  • chronic high blood pressure
  • diabetes
  • kidney disease
  • lupus
  • in vitro fertilization (IVF) and similar procedures
  • age greater than 35 years
  • pregnancy with multiples
  • first-time pregnancy

High blood pressure during pregnancy can cause a premature birth or early detachment of the placenta and may lead to the need for a cesarean delivery.

In most cases, your blood pressure will return to normal levels after you give birth.

High blood pressure during pregnancy can cause preeclampsia. Severe preeclampsia can damage your organs, including your brain, and can cause life threatening seizures.

Signs and symptoms of preeclampsia include:

Over time, untreated high blood pressure can cause heart disease and increase your risk of related complications such as:

Treatments for high blood pressure can include:

A doctor will determine a treatment plan based on your level of high blood pressure and its cause.

Healthy eating is an effective way to help lower your blood pressure, especially if it’s only mildly elevated. Common recommendations include eating foods low in sodium (salt) and high in potassium.

If you ever have symptoms relating to high blood pressure, it’s best to get emergency medical attention. This includes if your blood pressure spikes to 180 mm Hg or above (systolic pressure) or 120 mm Hg or above (diastolic pressure) and remains that high for a few minutes.

If you’re working with a doctor to help lower your blood pressure and the strategies you’ve tried are not helping, the doctor may recommend taking a medication to lower your blood pressure. A new medication can take up to 2 weeks to have its full effect.

If your blood pressure doesn’t change, you may need another treatment. You may also have another health condition that is causing your hypertension.

If you have high blood pressure, you need to monitor and manage it for the rest of your life. If you experience a high blood pressure spike, it’s best to get medical attention immediately.

With proper management and certain lifestyle changes, your blood pressure may return to normal levels. Often, people need both lifestyle changes and medication to keep their blood pressure within a healthy range.

Treating high blood pressure can also greatly lower your risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, and other complications.