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Medical Problems Of Hypertension
By peace | August 17, 2007
Because of the damage it causes to the heart and blood vessels, high blood pressure if left untreated can cause a number of medical problems, many of them serious or potentially fatal. Some of these conditions could be avoided simply by having regular blood-pressure checks and appropriate treatment.
1. Heart Failure
The effort of pumping out blood at high pressure puts the heart under stress. Over time, in order to cope with the strain, the heart enlarges. Eventually, it begins to fail and the blood supply to the rest of the body decreases. As the condition progresses, symptoms include weakness and fatigue. Later, due to the enlargement of the heart, fluid gathers in the lungs and lower limbs causing a cough, breathlessness, swollen feet and ankles.
2. Kidney Failure
Damage to the arterioles obstructs the flow of blood to the kidneys. Eventually the efficiency of kidney function is affected, and they are unable to do the essential job of disposing of waste products, including drugs and alcohol. In the early stages symptoms include nausea, loss of appetite and fatigue.
3. Poor eyesight
High blood pressure damages the blood vessels in the eyes. This may in fact be the first visible clue to the effect high blood pressure is having on the other organs. Extremely high blood pressure can cause hypertensive retinopathy which can lead to blurred vision and blindness.
4. Stroke
People with high blood pressure are up to seven times more likely to have a stroke. It is estimated that four out of 10 people who die of a stroke could have been saved by having regular blood pressure checks and treatment. Stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted, usually by a blood clot. Sometimes a stroke occurs when high blood pressure has caused a weak spot in the wall of one of the smaller arteries which bursts. In either case, the affected part of the brain dies, resulting in speech difficulties, loss of vision and paralysis.
5. Transient ischaemic attack (TIA)
High blood pressure can also cause a transient ischaemic attack, a mini-stroke, which may cause temporary eyesight disturbances, dizziness, and changes in sensation. Although the person returns to normal afterward, he or she is more at risk of a true stroke. Symptoms come on suddenly but are always followed by full recovery.
6. Dementia
Sometimes a series of “little” strokes, which are not severe but produce sudden physical weakness and double vision, gradually damage the brain tissue. If they continue over a long period, the person may become forgetful and confused. Doctors call this mult-infarct dementia (MID) which may sometimes be confused with Alzheimer’s disease. However, in MID drug treatment can slow deterioration.
7. Coronary Heart Disease
If the coronary arteries supplying the heart become hard and inelastic, narrow and furred as a result of high blood pressure, not enough blood gets to the heart. Symptoms can include pain, a feeling of pressure or suffocation in the chest, known as angina, a heart attack or death.
8. Heart Attack
If coronary artery narrows so much that blood is unable to get through to the heart, or if an artery is blocked by a clot becoming lodged in the narrowed arteries, part of the heart is starved of blood and dies. This is a heart attack.
9. Peripheral Vascular Disease
When the blood vessels supplying the legs are damaged, insufficient blood reaches the fingers and toes. This in turn can lead to pain in the legs, especially on walking. Peripheral vascular disease may lead to leg ulcers and even gangrene caused by the loss of the blood supply to the feet. This condition is also linked to smoking and diabetes.
Topics: All Posts, Health, Man's health, Woman's Health |
