5 Negative Health Effects of Uncontrolled Blood Pressure
Dr. Steven Reisman who has been featured on Fox and CNN is the founder and Director of the New York Cardiac Diagnostic Center which has a patient-focused philosophy. Dr. Reisman is a Cardiologist and a nationally recognized Nuclear Cardiologist who was part of the team at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles,... more
Nearly half of the adult population in America have high blood pressure, while many are unaware of this health problem because it typically causes no visible symptoms. With this statistic rising every year, everyone should know their blood pressure numbers and what they mean.
It's also important to understand your risk factors. Having uncontrolled high blood pressure may increase your risk of different physical problems, many of which can be avoided or managed with medication or lifestyle modifications. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can be detrimental to your overall health and even life-threatening.
Here are 5 negative consequences of having uncontrolled blood pressure.
1. Heart Problems
High blood pressure can damage your heart significantly. One of the common heart problems related to high blood pressure is coronary artery disease. When the arteries damaged by high blood pressure are narrowed, the blood supply to your heart decreases. This can potentially lead to a heart attack.
Increased blood pressure constantly strains your heart muscle. Over time, your heart muscle becomes weaker and works less effectively. As a result, the overstrained heart begins to fail, leading to heart failure. Narrowed and blocked arteries may also put you at risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia.
2. Kidney Damage
High blood pressure can damage the blood vessels leading to your kidney. When the small blood vessels within your kidney are damaged, they may become scarred and unable to filter fluid and waste from your blood. Over time, kidney scarring can result in kidney failure. When your kidney cannot filter effectively, the levels of waste and filter become critically high. After a kidney failure, you may require dialysis or kidney transplantation.
3. Brain Damage
The work of all your body organs, including your brain, depends on the blood supply to work properly. Because high blood pressure damages blood vessels, the blood supply of your brain decreases. This increases your risk of several brain conditions. When the blood supply to your brain is temporarily disrupted, this can cause a transient ischemic attack. This condition is often a precursor to another brain problem called a stroke.
A stroke is a life-threatening event that occurs when part of your brain is completely distracted from the blood supply and oxygen. This causes your brain cells to die and lead to permanent damage to your brain.
4. Sexual Dysfunction
Sexual dysfunction is common among men after the age of 50. But men with high blood pressure tend to develop this condition earlier. This happens because high blood pressure damages the vessels that supply your pelvic organs with blood, including your penis.
Women may also experience sexual dysfunction because of high blood pressure. Reduced blood flow to the vagina leads to a decrease in sexual desire or arousal, vaginal dryness, or difficulty achieving orgasm. For this reason, high blood pressure treatment and management are crucial for both men and women.
5. Arteries Damage
Healthy arteries are flexible and strong. Because the inner lining of healthy arteries is smooth, the blood can freely flow in your body, supplying vital organs within the body with nutrients and oxygen. Uncontrolled hypertension damages your arteries over time, making it difficult for your heart to pump blood to different organs. This can result in several serious artery conditions.
Because of high blood pressure, your arteries may become damaged and narrowed. Fats that you get from the food can collect in the damaged parts of your arteries. As a result, arteries become less elastic, the blood flow reduces significantly, and may block completely over time.
Another common artery condition related to high blood pressure is an aneurysm. Constant pressure from blood moving through the weak arteries can cause one part of the artery to enlarge and form a bulge called an aneurysm. Because an aneurysm is formed of weakened artery tissue, it can rupture over time and cause internal bleeding. Internal bleeding is a life-threatening health problem.
