6. Severe Headache
Only during an acute hypertensive crisis can hypertension appear to cause headaches.
A hypertensive crisis is a medical emergency because it can cause life-threatening complications such as kidney damage, a heart attack, memory loss, and a stroke.
A hypertensive crisis occurs when blood pressure surpasses 180/120 mm Hg, which is definitely a dangerous condition to be in.
If your blood pressure is at least 180/120 mm Hg, you must wait five minutes before taking another reading.
If your headache persists and your blood pressure remains elevated, contact your healthcare provider immediately for help.
5. Vision Loss
Individuals with unchecked hypertension may eventually experience blurred vision and loss of sight due to blood vessel damage (retinopathy) or fluid buildup under the retina (choroidopathy).
Prolonged unchecked hypertension can result to retinal damage. Retinal damage impairs your retina’s functionality, thereby resulting to distorted vision.
In some cases, scarring also happens thereby impairing a person’s vision.
It is also important to note that individuals having a sudden, acute increase in systemic blood pressure may also experience vision loss or impaired vision. Episodes like this should be treated as a life-threatening hypertensive emergency.