High blood pressure is often known as the silent killer, but the risks involved are hard to ignore. In fact, those that suffer from high blood pressure shouldn’t blow off the needs for treatment. Whether it’s damage to the heart or kidneys, the risks associated with high blood pressure are terrifying. Let’s take a closer look at the health risks associated with high blood pressure.
Damage to the Arteries and Heart
Obviously, high blood pressure affects the arteries and heart, but you may not realize how severe the damage can be. First of all, high blood pressure can lead to a hardening of the arteries, which may eventually lead to an aneurysm. An aneurysm can cause the artery to rupture, which leads to internal bleeding. When the arteries narrow, this naturally affects the heart. One condition that arises is coronary artery disease, which can lead to heart attacks, chest pain, or irregular heart beats. When the arteries are smaller, the heart must work harder, which can lead the left side of the heart to become larger. If left untreated, the heart will eventually become overworked and fail.
Possibility of Brain Damage
When the arteries are impaired, not only the heart is affected, but the brain is as well. High blood pressure can lead to mini strokes, strokes, dementia, and mild cognitive impairment. Strokes are very common with untreated high blood pressure and can be devastating to those affected and their families.
Kidney Failure
There are a number of problems that high blood pressure can cause in the kidney as well. While people often associate kidney failure with diabetes, the most common cause is high blood pressure. Even if you don’t experience kidney failure, hypertension can also lead to kidney scarring and an arterial aneurysm in the kidneys.
Eye Problems
Eyesight can also be greatly affected from high blood pressure. Not only may hypertension lead to blood vessel damage in the eyes, but fluid may also build up under the retinas leading to vision distortion. Lastly, high blood pressure may cause nerve damage in the eyes that can lead to a loss in vision.
Other Risks
Other problems that can arise from high blood pressure include sexual dysfunction, due to lack of blood flow to the genitals of both men and women, bone loss, and sleep disorders.
The highest risks associated with high blood pressure are strokes and heart attacks, but as you can see there are many, many risks. Don’t let high blood pressure go untreated because it may make you very uncomfortable before it finally does you in.
About the Author: Thaddeus Kimmes is a medical billing specialist who works in a cardiologist’s office. The specialist often sees individuals with complications that were caused by unknown blood pressure conditions. He enjoys working in billing so that he can help others without dealing with hands-on patient care. Considering medical billing? For more information, click here!
