More than 100 million American adults suffer from high blood pressure, but half of those people have this condition under control. Many people develop this condition when they are in their late 30s or 40s and it occurs more frequently as they age. However, not only adults are affected by this condition. More and more children and teens are developing high blood pressure as well.
What is Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is the measure of force or pressure against the arteries. Your blood pressure is based on two readings: (1) The measure of pressure when your heart contracts and pushes blood through the arteries and (2) The measure of pressure when your heart relaxes between beats.
What is hypertension?
Hypertension or high blood pressure is the primary risk factor for stroke and a major risk factor for heart disease. In hypertension, your heart has to work harder than normal to pump blood through the blood vessels.
The Importance of Early Detection
High blood pressure is often referred to as a “silent killer” because it does not have any symptoms. In a 2013 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 360,000 deaths include blood pressure as a primary or contributing cause.
Complications Associated with Hypertension
Hypertension gradually increases the pressure through your arteries and as a result you might have the following:
Aneurysm – the constant pressure of blood moving through the weakened artery can cause the section of its wall to enlarge and form a huge bulge. Over time, the aneurysm can rupture and cause internal bleeding.
Narrow and damaged arteries – High blood pressure will cause damage to the cells of your arteries’ inner lining. Fats from your diet will enter the bloodstream and collect in the damaged arteries. Your artery walls will become less elastic which then limits blood flow throughout your body.
High blood pressure can cause a lot of problems to your heart including:
- Coronary heart disease
- Heart failure
- Enlarged left heart
High blood pressure traveling to your brain can cause several problems including:
- Stroke
- Dementia
- mild Cognitive Impairment
Kidneys can get damaged by high blood pressure as well and having diabetes along with high blood pressure can worsen the problem. The problems caused by hypertension to your kidney include:
- Kidney failure
- Glomeruslosclerosis or kidney scarring
High blood pressure can damage the tiny blood vessels that supply blood to your eyes which can cause:
- Fluid buildup under the retina can result in distorted or sometimes scarring that impairs vision.
- Damage to the optic nerve due to blocked blood flow leading to vision loss.
- Bleeding in the eye, blurred vision, and complete loss of vision due to the damage to your retina.
How Can You Manage High Blood Pressure
Treating high blood pressure starts with lifestyle changes such as losing weight, cutting down on alcohol, stopping smoking, regular exercise, and having a healthy diet.
Aside from lifestyle changes, some medications can be used to lower blood pressure. There are various types of medications that can be used to treat high blood pressure and each has its pros and cons and compatibility to the patient. Expect that your blood pressure medication will work after several days. However, since this condition often has little to no symptoms, you may feel well, where you still have this condition. Remember to always take your medications and as prescribed.
