If you experience any of these symptoms, you could also be at greater risk of heart attacks and strokes
People have been warned to look out for four signs of a silent killer condition that can appear at night. These symptoms could indicate high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.
It is estimated that around one in three UK adults suffer from high blood pressure, which forces the heart to pump harder to circulate blood throughout the body. The condition is linked to a range of severe health issues including cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, strokes, heart failure, and heart attacks.
Perhaps most concerning is the fact that high blood pressure often remains undetected and untreated until it leads to a critical health crisis, with approximately half of those with hypertension unaware of their condition. The lack of symptoms is one cause of this issue.
Public Health England has labelled high blood pressure as a “silent killer” condition for this reason. And the British Heart Foundation (BHF) warns: “High blood pressure rarely has noticeable symptoms.”
However, some signs of this dangerous condition can appear at night. Medical News Today reports how some people may experience something called nocturnal hypertension.
As the name suggests, this means that the person’s blood pressure goes up at night. This is abnormal as blood pressure “typically decreases” overnight as part of a natural sleep-wake cycle.
Medical News Today explains: “During the day, a person’s blood pressure should not be higher than 120/80mmHg. 120 refers to the systolic, or upper number, and 80 to the diastolic, or lower number.
“At night time, elevated blood pressure may exceed 110/65mmHg. Elevated nocturnal blood pressure may contribute to many of the same complications as high blood pressure in general, such as stroke, heart attack, and kidney failure.”
Again, many people with nocturnal hypertension may experience no symptoms at all, but it can sleep to some sleep disruptions including:
- Sleep disturbances
- Frequently waking with the need to urinate
- Sleep apnoea
- Difficulty breathing, which may cause gasping or snoring.
If you experience any of these signs it is worth checking your blood pressure with a home kit or asking your GP or pharmacist to check it for you. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that high blood pressure can develop over time or can be the result of unhealthy lifestyle choices.
People living with general high blood pressure may also experience nocturnal hypertension. In terms of general hypertension, the NHS adds that some people may experience symptoms such as headaches, blurred vision, and chest pain, though these are “rare”.
According to the NHS, things that increase your chances of having high blood pressure include:
- Your age – you’re more likely to get high blood pressure as you get older
- Having close relatives with high blood pressure
- Your ethnicity – you’re at higher risk if you have a black African, black Caribbean or South Asian ethnic background
- Having an unhealthy diet – especially a diet that’s high in salt
- Being overweight
- Smoking
- Drinking too much alcohol
- Feeling stressed over a long period.
If you are concerned about your blood pressure you should speak to your GP.
