Can high blood pressure cause dizziness?

High blood pressure rarely causes symptoms unless it is dangerously high, in which case dizziness or other symptoms can occur, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Sometimes, dizziness occurs as a side effect of high blood pressure medication, according to the American Heart Association.

Sudden dizziness is a warning sign for stroke. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is listed by the American Heart Association as one of the main risk factors for stroke. Untreated hypertension also increases the risk of heart attack, aneurysm, kidney damage, metabolic disorders, trouble with memory and vision loss caused by the destruction of blood vessels in the eyes, according to Mayo Clinic.