Hypertension and Dizziness

Almost 75 million Americans have hypertension. Hypertension is easy to detect and easy to control. A normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mmHg, if your pressure is higher you may have hypertension. If you are known to have hypertension, screening should be done at least once per year.

It is important to remember that hypertension often causes no symptoms at all, and therefore has been called "the silent killer." A person can have hypertension for many years without knowing it. If hypertension is left untreated, it can lead to heart attack, stroke, heart failure and severe kidney damage. 

Hypertension can be a very serious condition. If you are already diagnosed with hypertension and are experiencing dizziness, this can be an indication that your blood pressure is increasing. If you are experiencing persistent dizziness, loss of vision, loss of consciousness, nausea, or if you are pregnant, you should get medical help immediately.

When pressure is very high, there are a number of symptoms that a person may experience, including nausea or dizziness. Dizziness is a term that is often used to describe two different symptoms: lightheadedness and vertigo. Light-headedness is a feeling like you might faint. Vertigo is a feeling that you are spinning or moving, or that the world is spinning around you.

Both low pressure and high pressure are linked to feelings of faintness, dizziness, or lightheadedness. People with low blood pressure commonly complain of dizziness because not enough oxygen is reaching the brain. Either instance of blood pressure and dizziness might induce faintness to the point of passing out.

Certain medications used to control hypertension might also produce lightheadedness.. Dizziness occurs because the medication causes a momentary drop in pressure and interferes with the body's normal adjustment of blood supply.

Low pressure produces other symptoms in some people including nausea, chest pain, sweating, and shortness of breath. Certain underlying illnesses, such as anemia or internal bleeding, may lower blood pressure and cause faintness.
Hypertension and dizziness are considered a more serious health problem.

The connection between hypertension and dizziness is only one of several explanations for vertigo. Dizziness may also stem from a viral infection that affects the inner ear, which plays a vital role in balance. Most cases involving hypertension and dizziness are minor and resolve quickly. 

If lightheadedness leads to bouts of fainting, a doctor should be consulted. Dizziness accompanied by severe headaches and memory loss might signal a more serious medical condition.

Tom Marshal is a freelance writer specialized in topics that cover health of the general public. Have you found this article helpful and informative?

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