Understand the Risk

Untreated high blood pressure damages blood vessels and organs over time. The main complications include:

• Heart: Heart attack, heart failure, enlarged heart (left ventricular hypertrophy)
• Brain: Stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), vascular dementia
• Kidneys: Chronic kidney disease, kidney failure
• Eyes: Damage to the blood vessels in the retina (hypertensive retinopathy)
• Arteries: Aneurysm (bulging and weakening of artery walls)

The good news: controlling blood pressure reduces stroke risk by 35–40% and heart attack risk by 20–25%.

A hypertensive crisis occurs when blood pressure rises above 180/120 mmHg. This is a medical emergency.

Call 911 or go to the emergency room immediately if you have very high blood pressure AND any of these symptoms:

• Severe headache
• Chest pain or pressure
• Shortness of breath
• Sudden vision changes
• Numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg
• Difficulty speaking or understanding speech
• Severe anxiety or confusion
• Blood in urine

Do not wait to see if symptoms improve. Do not drive yourself. Call 911 immediately.