Why is high blood pressure bad?
High blood pressure can damage your arteries by making them less elastic, which decreases the flow of blood and oxygen to your heart and leads to heart disease. In addition, decreased blood flow to the heart can cause: Chest pain, also called angina.
What is hypertension Why is it caused what harm can it do?
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is when your blood travels through blood vessels with more force than is considered healthy. When blood pressure is high, it can damage artery and blood vessel walls over time. This leads to dangerous complications and even death if left untreated.
Is hypertension very serious problem?
Key facts. Hypertension ̶ or elevated blood pressure ̶ is a serious medical condition that significantly increases the risks of heart, brain, kidney and other diseases. An estimated 1.13 billion people worldwide have hypertension, most (two-thirds) living in low- and middle-income countries.
What are the dangers of high blood pressure?
Left undetected (or uncontrolled), high blood pressure can lead to: 1 Heart attack — High blood pressure damages arteries that can become blocked… 2 Stroke — High blood pressure can cause blood vessels in the brain to clog more easily or even burst. 3 Heart failure — The increased workload from high blood pressure can cause…
What happens if high blood pressure is left undetected?
Left undetected (or uncontrolled), high blood pressure can lead to: Heart attack — High blood pressure damages arteries that can become blocked and prevent blood flow to the heart muscle. Stroke — High blood pressure can cause blood vessels in the brain to clog more easily or even burst.
What happens to your body when you have hypertension?
Irregular heart beat which can lead to a sudden death. Hypertension can also burst or block arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the brain, causing a stroke. In addition, hypertension can cause kidney damage, leading to kidney failure.
How does high blood pressure affect the arteries?
Arteries. Normally, the vessels that carry blood from your heart to the rest of your body have a smooth inner lining. They’re strong and flexible enough to push blood through your body. High blood pressure changes that. The extra force of the blood can damage the cells on the inside walls of your arteries.
What are the long term effects of hypertension?
Hypertension is associated with a number of serious long-term effects on the body. High blood pressure is a risk factor for the development of heart disease, heart failure, stroke, eye disease, kidney disease including kidney failure and some life-threatening emergencies.
Why is hypertension a serious problem?
Hypertension is serious because people with the condition have a higher risk for heart disease and other medical problems than people with normal blood pressure. Serious complications can be avoided by getting regular blood pressure checks and treating hypertension as soon as it is diagnosed.
What are the risk factors for developing hypertension?
Risk factors for developing hypertension include excessive sodium intake, low potassium intake, excessive alcohol intake, lack of exercise, smoking, stress, family history, age (>55 for men, >65 for women), and obesity ( BMI >30kg/m2).
How does hypertension damage organs?
Organ Damage. Over time, hypertension injures the arteries that supply blood to your vital organs. Your eyes, heart, brain and kidneys are most susceptible to the effects of high blood pressure. In many cases, people are not aware they have hypertension until an organs has sustained irreversible damage, which could cause heart attack,…