High blood pressure, or hypertension, rarely has noticeable symptoms. But if untreated, it increases a person’s risk of serious problems such as heart attacks and strokes. Seeing blood coming from either of these two body parts is a warning of hypertension and should not be ignored.
READ MORE
-
How to live longer: The best drink to boost life expectancy
Nose bleeds
Heart conditions like hypertension and congestive heart failure can cause nosebleeds.
The NHS said: “Nosebleeds aren’t usually serious however frequent or heavy nosebleeds may indicate more serious health problems such as high blood pressure or blood clotting.
“This should be checked by a health professional.
“Nosebleeds that need medical attention can come from deeper inside the nose and usually affect adults.
“They can be caused by high blood pressure.”
READ MORE: High blood pressure – the £1 summer fruit to avoid hypertension
Blood in urine
If a person discovers blood in their urine it could indicate their blood pressure is out of the normal range.
This could be because high blood pressure is a risk factor for kidney disease – along with diabetes, smoking and obesity – which can cause a small amount of blood in a person’s urine.
However, blood in the urine could also be a sign of a UTI, kidney stones or an enlarged prostate.
The safest bet is to speak with your GP about the possible cause for blood in the urine.
DON’T MISS
High blood pressure: Do this amount of exercise each week to lower bp [RESEARCH]
High blood pressure: The best juice to lower your reading [STUDY]
High blood pressure: Body parts affected by condition [ANALYSIS]
When to see a doctor
Although high blood pressure does not usually cause symptoms, anyone experiencing a sudden, severe headache or nosebleed should check their blood pressure said Medical News Today.
The health site continued: “If their blood pressure is above 180/120 mmHg, they should stay rested for five minutes and recheck their blood pressure.
“If the blood pressure is still higher than 180/120 mmHg, they need to seek medial help at their doctor’s office.
“If a person is experiencing sever symptoms, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or visual difficulty, they need to call for emergency medical treatment as they may be experiencing a hypertensive crisis.”
READ MORE
-
Monty Don health: Presenter describes his mini stroke experience
Senior cardiac nurse Julie Ward added: “The first time you may find out that you have high blood pressure is when you have a stroke or heart attack.
“High blood pressure can damage the walls of the arteries, causing coronary artery disease and stroke.
“It can also damage the heart muscle, leading to heart failure.
“More than 14 million adults in the UK have high blood pressure – as many as five million of these are thought to be undiagnosed, as there are rarely any symptoms.”
Living a sedentary lifestyle with a poor diet is said by experts to have a more detrimental effect on blood pressure than stress.
The NHS recommend reducing your blood pressure by cutting back on alcohol, exercising regularly and losing weight if overweight.
Additionally, reducing caffeine, stopping smoking and getting at least six hours of sleep a night can also help.
As well as lifestyle changes, a GP may prescribe medicines to help with the condition such as ACE inhibitors, diuretics or beta-blockers.
Source: Read Full Article