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Most people with high blood pressure don't get any symptoms.

You can't feel when your blood pressure goes up, although some people with high blood pressure say they had bad headaches before they were treated. The only way to find out for sure if your blood pressure is high is to have it measured. To learn more, see The blood pressure test.

If your high blood pressure causes other health problems, you may get symptoms. For example, if you get heart failure (when your heart can't pump blood around your body as well as it should) you may get out of breath easily, have swollen ankles or get tired very easily.

In rare cases, blood pressure can rise suddenly without any warning and get very high (for example, a top number of 220 and a bottom number of 120). Doctors call this malignant hypertension.¹This happens to less than 1 in 100 people who have high blood pressure. It is very serious and can kill. People with blood pressure this high need treatment right away.

The symptoms of this type of very bad high blood pressure include:

• Having a bad headache
• Feeling confused
• Feeling nauseated
• Having trouble sleeping
• Feeling very sleepy.

If you have these symptoms you should see a doctor right away.

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.