Health Risks of High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension (HTN) is a risk condition in which the blood pressure of a person is abnormally high. One is said to have a normal blood pressure when the systolic count is less than 120-139 mm Hg while the diastolic count is around 80 mm Hg. If the systolic count is more than 140 mm Hg and the diastolic count exceeds 90 mm Hg, a person has high blood pressure.

It is one of the most common disorders in the United States, every 1 in 3 adults has hypertension. It is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. It is believed that the Blacks are at a higher risk of having high blood pressure than the Whites. Most people don't even know that they are suffering from hypertension until they visit a doctor for check-up. Generally, there are two types of hypertension.

• Essential Hypertension (Primary): It is the most common form of hypertension. The main cause is increase in systolic pressure. It is mostly found in adults.
• Malignant Hypertension (Secondary): It is a complex form of hypertension characterized by increase in blood pressure and damage to some vital organs such as the brain, eyes, liver, kidneys, etc.

The main causes of hypertension are obesity, a passive lifestyle, excessive alcohol intake, history of hypertension in the family, genetic mutations, stress and high consumption of salt and fat.

Hypertension is a major risk factor for heart diseases, stroke and kidney failure. Let us take a close look at the health risks of hypertension.

Arteriosclerosis or Atherosclerosis: It mainly occurs in joints and tendons. Hypertension damages the walls of the arteries. As a response, the body's repair system builds fatty tissue around the wall of the arteries, restricting the blood flow. Due to hypertension, there is an increase in pressure on the heart, reduced blood supply to the heart, kidney, arms, legs, etc. The complexity depends on the amount of blood supply and the organ which is affected.

Aneurysm: Sometimes, due to increased pressure on an artery, it swells and forms a bulge. This bulge can rupture and cause fatal internal bleeding.

Congestive heart failure: This is caused mainly because of heart attack. The heart has to work extra hard to compensate for increased blood pressure. Over time, the heart muscles weaken causing, congestive heart failure.

Enlarged Left Heart: The left ventricle of the heart is the one which pumps out blood to our organs. Due to increase in blood pressure, it has to pump more blood than usual which results in its enlargement. People with enlarged left heart are at a greater risk of heart attack, stroke and sudden cardiac arrest.

Strokes: There are two types of strokes. The thrombotic stroke is due to temporary disruption of blood or oxygen supply to the brain and blood clot in the artery. The second one is haemorrhagic stroke. The building pressure on the arteries causes the blood vessel to rupture, resulting in a haemorrhagic stroke, which may lead to death.

Kidney failure: Hypertension is one of the main causes of kidney failure. There are tiny vessels in the kidney called glomeruli, which filter fluid and waste from the blood. High blood pressure damages the glomeruli, causing kidney scarring (glomerulosclerosis). As a result, the kidneys cannot work effectively, causing high levels of waste to accumulate in the blood.

Moreover, delayed diagnosis, improper medication and reluctance in lifestyle change can worsen the risk. So take proper medication, quit smoking, maintain a healthy diet, and lead an active and stress-free lifestyle.