10 Things You May Not Know About High Blood Pressure

September 29, 2026, is World Heart Day.High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a common health condition affecting nearly half of U.S. women. But how much do you really know about it? Many people may not understand the risk factors, how high blood pressure affects the body or the role lifestyle changes play in managing the condition.Here are 10 facts about high blood pressure that you may not know. 1. High blood pressure often has no symptoms Hypertension occurs when the force of blood against your artery walls is consistently too high. If blood pressure becomes dangerously high, some people may experience symptoms such as: Shortness of breathSevere headacheVision changesChest painConfusionWeakness or numbnessHeart palpitationsSeizures Signs of stroke (slurred speech, sudden facial droop, and sudden leg or arm weakness) But most people won’t experience any symptoms, which can make the condition difficult to identify without a blood pressure monitor. “Hypertension is called a silent killer because there are usually few symptoms, and the disease causes grave damage in the background,” said Meena Verma, M.D., M.P.H., a board-certified nephrologist and longevity physician. 2. Your blo...