<unk>  is rarely accompanied by symptoms, and its identification is usually through screening, or when seeking<unk> ealthcare for an unrelated problem. Some people with<unk> igh blood pressure report<unk> eadaches (particularly at the back of the<unk> ead and in the morning), as well as lightheadedness, vertigo, tinnitus (buzzing or<unk> issing in the ears), altered vision or fainting episodes. These symptoms,<unk> owever, might be related to associated anxiety rather than the<unk> igh blood pressure itself. On physical examination,<unk>  may be associated with the presence of changes in the optic fundus seen by ophthalmoscopy. The severity of the changes typical of<unk> ypertensive retinopathy is graded from I to IV; grades I and II may be difficult to differentiate. The severity of the retinopathy correlates roughly with the duration or the severity of the<unk> . Secondary<unk>  Secondary<unk>  is<unk>  due to an identifiable cause, and may result in certain specific additional signs and symptoms. For example, as well as causing<unk> igh blood pressure, Cushing's syndrome frequently causes truncal obesity, glucose intolerance, moon face, a<unk> ump of fat behind the neck and shoulders (referred to as a buffalo<unk> ump), and purple abdominal stretch marks.<unk> yperthyroidism frequently causes weight loss with increased appetite, fast<unk> eart rate, bulging eyes, and tremor. Renal artery stenosis (RAS) may be associated with a localized abdominal bruit to the left or right of the midline (unilateral RAS), or in both locations (bilateral RAS). Coarctation of the aorta frequently causes a decreased blood pressure in the lower extremities relative to the arms, or delayed or absent femoral arterial pulses. Pheochromocytoma may cause abrupt episodes of<unk>  accompanied by<unk> eadache, palpitations, pale appearance, and excessive sweating.<unk> ypertensive crisis Severely elevated blood pressure (equal to or greater than a systolic 180 or diastolic of 110) is referred to as a<unk> ypertensive crisis.<unk> ypertensive crisis is categorized as either<unk> ypertensive urgency or<unk> ypertensive emergency, according to the absence or presence of end organ damage, respectively. In<unk> ypertensive urgency, there is no evidence of end organ damage resulting from the elevated blood pressure. In these cases, oral medications are used to lower the BP gradually over 24 to 48<unk> ours. In<unk> ypertensive emergency, there is evidence of direct damage to one or more organs. The most affected organs include the brain, kidney,<unk> eart and lungs, producing symptoms which may include confusion, drowsiness, chest pain and breathlessness. In<unk> ypertensive emergency, the blood pressure must be reduced more rapidly to stop ongoing organ damage,<unk> owever, there is a lack of randomized controlled trial evidence for this approach. Pregnancy<unk>  occurs in approximately 8–10% of pregnancies. Two blood pressure measurements six<unk> ours apart of greater than 140/90 mm<unk> g are diagnostic of<unk>  in pregnancy.<unk> igh blood pressure in pregnancy can be classified as pre-existing<unk> , gestational<unk> , or pre-eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia is a serious condition of the second<unk> alf of pregnancy and following delivery characterised by increased blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine. It occurs in about 5% of pregnancies and is responsible for approximately 16% of all maternal deaths globally. Pre-eclampsia also doubles the risk of death of the baby around the time of birth. Usually there are no symptoms in pre-eclampsia and it is detected by routine screening. When symptoms of pre-eclampsia occur the most common are<unk> eadache, visual disturbance (often "flashing lights"), vomiting, pain over the stomach, and swelling. Pre-eclampsia can occasionally progress to a life-threatening condition called eclampsia, which is a<unk> ypertensive emergency and<unk> as several serious complications including vision loss, brain swelling, seizures, kidney failure, pulmonary edema, and disseminated intravascular coagulation (a blood clotting disorder). In contrast, gestational<unk>  is defined as new-onset<unk>  during pregnancy without protein in the urine. Children Failure to thrive, seizures, irritability, lack of energy, and difficulty in breathing can be associated with<unk>  in newborns and young infants. In older infants and children,<unk>  can cause<unk> eadache, unexplained irritability, fatigue, failure to thrive, blurred vision, nosebleeds, and facial paralysis.
Hypertension
Obesity
Prehypertension
Diabetes
Body mass index
Abdominal obesity
Smoking
Exercise