Health bodies have warned of two little-known signs on the face that could indicate a potentially dangerous health issue. Around one third of all adults in the UK are thought to be living with high blood pressure.
Also known as hypertension, it means that the heart has to work harder to pump blood around the body.
As a result it is a factor in many serious health conditions and illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, strokes, heart failure and heart attacks.
Although it is a fairly common condition, it can often go by unnoticed and undiagnosed until it causes a serious medical emergency with around one in two hypertensive people not even realising they have it.
This is partly due to the fact that it rarely displays symptoms. In fact, Public Health England dubbed high blood pressure as a “silent killer” for this reason.
And the British Heart Foundation (BHF) says: “High blood pressure rarely has noticeable symptoms.
“Many people with high blood pressure feel fine. But even if you feel fine, you should still have your blood pressure checked regularly.”
However, there are some warning signs that affect some people.
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According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) two such signs can appear on the face – nosebleeds and blurry vision – however, these are mainly likely in people with “very high” blood pressure.
Nosebleeds
The NHS also says that nosebleeds are more likely to occur in people with high blood pressure.
However, there is some debate around whether nosebleeds are directly caused by having high blood pressure.
In an article, Medical Associates of North Texas say this is “debatable”. They said: “While most experts believe that hypertension alone doesn’t cause nosebleeds unless your blood pressure is extremely high, it can damage the blood vessels inside your nose, making bleeding more likely.
“Some recent research has found that hypertension may increase your risk of more severe nosebleeds.”
One study, from 2020, found that people with high blood pressure were 2.7 times more likely to need emergency care for nosebleeds than people with healthy blood pressure.
And a separate study, from 2015, measured the blood pressure of 80 people over three months and found that half the participants experienced regular nosebleeds.
Researchers concluded that high blood pressure did not cause nosebleeds, but the bleeding was more difficult to control in people with hypertension.
Blurred vision
The WHO says blurred vision or other vision changes can occur in people with blood pressure that is 180/120 or higher.
This is because high blood pressure can harm the many tiny blood vessels in your eyes.
The American Heart Association says the following vision problems can occur in people with hypertension:
- Blood vessel damage – Blurred vision or the complete loss of sight can happen without blood flow to the retina
- Fluid buildup under the retina – This buildup of fluid under the retina creates distorted vision or scars that harm vision
- Nerve damage – Blocked blood flow damages the optic nerve.
It adds: “High blood pressure may increase the risk of developing other eye conditions such as glaucoma and macular degeneration, which can cause vision impairment or blindness if left untreated.”
The BHF lists other signs of high blood pressure as:
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Headaches.
However, the only way to be sure if you have high blood pressure is to be tested, either by your GP or using an at-home kit.