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High blood pressure is often called the "silent killer" because it rarely causes any obvious symptoms. You can feel completely healthy while the high pressure slowly damages blood vessels, heart, brain and kidneys.
A blood pressure above 140/90 mmHg (or 135/85 mmHg when measured at home) is usually considered elevated. If you have untreated high blood pressure, the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack, stroke, heart failure and kidney damage increases.
The risk of being affected is higher if you have a family history of high blood pressure, are overweight, smoke, drink a lot of alcohol, eat a lot of salt, are stressed or sleep poorly.
Since high blood pressure is often not noticeable, it is important to have regular blood pressure measurements as this is the only sure way to detect it. For a more complete picture of cardiovascular health, blood pressure should also be supplemented with tests for blood lipids, blood sugar and kidney function.
In short – you don't have to feel sick to have high blood pressure – which is why it's important to check it before damage occurs.
"But I don't feel anything" - that's exactly the risk
There is a common misconception that high blood pressure should always cause symptoms such as headaches or feelings of stress. The truth is that most people with hypertension don't notice anything at all. Sometimes diffuse signs such as mild fatigue can occur, but these are easy to dismiss as part of a stressful everyday life.
Hypertoni often lacks symptoms, which means that many people go for years with a gradual damage to the blood vessels without knowing it. The only way to actually know what the situation is is by measuring it.
What is considered high blood pressure?
In Sweden, high blood pressure is usually defined as a value of 140/90 mmHg or higher when measured repeatedly at a clinic. When measured at home, the limit is 135/85 mmHg. A single measurement is rarely enough to make a diagnosis. European guidelines emphasize the importance of correct measurement technique and confirming the result with home or 24-hour measurements. There are two common phenomena to consider:
White coat hypertension: Blood pressure rises in a healthcare setting but is normal at home.
Masked hypertension: Blood pressure appears normal in the clinic but is elevated in everyday life. This is particularly risky as it is often missed during routine check-ups.
Why is hypertension dangerous (even when it is "mild")?
Your blood pressure is the pressure that the heart and blood vessels have to work against around the clock. Even a slight increase means a constant load that over time can lead to:
Vascular damage and atherosclerosis: The vessels become stiffer and narrower.
Increased risk of stroke and heart attacks: Untreated hypertension significantly increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, heart failure and chronic kidney disease.
Heart failure: The heart muscle can become thickened and less efficient due to the increased workload.
Kidney damage: Hypertension and kidney disease often reinforce each other in a negative spiral.
The standard goal for blood pressure treatment is usually a value below 140/90 mmHg. However, if you have conditions such as diabetes or chronic kidney disease, you often strive for even lower target values to give your organs extra protection.
Who should check their blood pressure extra carefully?
In Sweden, approximately one in four adults lives with high blood pressure, and the number is rising. You should be extra vigilant if any of the following risk factors apply to you:
Heredity: If parents or siblings have high blood pressure.
Lifestyle: Sedentary lifestyle, smoking or high alcohol consumption.
Diet: High salt intake and few fruits and vegetables.
Metabolic profile: Overweight, especially abdominal obesity, or abnormal blood sugar and blood lipid levels.
Stress and sleep: Prolonged stress and lack of sleep negatively affect blood pressure.
See the bigger picture
Just taking mäta blodtrycket is a good first step, but to understand your actual risk you need to look at the whole picture. Hypertension rarely occurs in isolation; it is often part of a broader cardiometabolic risk profile. When you do a hälsokontroll, it is wise to combine the blood pressure measurement with blood tests that show how the body is feeling on the inside:
Blodfetter: Provides a picture of the risk of atherosclerosis.
Blodsocker: Shows your metabolic risk profile and possible prediabetes.
Njurfunktion: Checks whether the kidneys have been affected by the pressure.
By combining blood pressure measurement with relevant tests, you get a much more accurate picture of your cardiovascular health than by just "checking your blood pressure" on the fly.
