Blood pressure is the amount of force the circulating blood exerts against the walls of the body’s arteries. We measure the pressure as the heart contracts and when it rests in between beats. Hypertension is when your blood pressure is too high. In the absence of treatment, uncontrolled hypertension is dangerous because it can quietly damage the body for years without notice. The negative impacts and potential complications affect more than the heart as time goes on. Let’s explore 5 ways it can negatively affect your health.
Veins and Arteries
The veins and arteries of the circulatory system are a transportation highway that delivers vital nutrients and oxygen-rich blood all over the body. Every cell depends on these nutrients to live and properly function. When veins and arteries are healthy, they are strong, elastic, flexible, and smooth inside.
High blood pressure increases the pressure of the blood flowing through the arteries and can damage them, resulting in widespread effects on the entire body:
- Fat can accumulate and damage the cells in the artery lining. This weakens and narrows them.
- A weakened artery area can bulge (aneurysm) and may rupture and cause life-threatening bleeding.
Heart
Coronary artery disease– Without an adequate blood supply, it can lead to chest pain (angina), irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias), or a heart attack.
Enlarged left heart– The lower left heart chamber (left ventricle) thickens from working harder to pump blood. This raises your risk of heart attack, heart failure, and sudden cardiac death.
Brain
Transient ischemic attack (TIA)– TIA is when there’s a temporary disruption in the blood supply to the brain.
Stroke– A stroke occurs when a part of the brain doesn’t get enough oxygen and nutrients, and the brain cells die.
Dementia– Vascular dementia can occur when a stroke interrupts blood flow to the brain.
Kidneys
Kidney scarring (glomerulosclerosis)– Occurs when tiny blood vessels within the kidney become scarred and cannot effectively filter fluid and waste from the blood.
Kidney failure-When dangerous levels of fluid and waste collect in the bloodstream, it can lead to kidney failure.
Vision
Retinopathy– Damage to the blood vessels in the light-sensitive tissue can lead to bleeding in the eye, blurred vision, and complete vision loss.
Choroidopathy– Fluid buildup under the retina can distort vision or sometimes cause scarring that impairs vision.
Optic neuropathy– Blocked blood flow can damage the optic nerve and cause bleeding within the eye or vision loss.
High Blood Pressure is a Common, Yet Serious Health Problem
If you have high blood pressure, clinical research studies may be an option. To learn more about enrolling hypertension studies here at Synergy Healthcare, contact us at (941) 896-4948 or visit our website.
Sources:
https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/health-threats-from-high-blood-pressure
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hypertension
https://www.upmc.com/services/south-central-pa/heart-vascular/heart/high-blood-pressure
