Why High Blood Pressure is a 'Silent Killer'?

The symptoms of high blood pressure are not always evident. This is the reason why high blood pressure is often referred to as the 'silent killer’. The condition may deteriorate even before you know it.

Hypertension can have a number of serious health repercussions if left unchecked. Here are some unknown threats that high blood pressure poses to your life –

• Damage to arteries

Arteries are essential for carrying blood around the body. However, due to the high blood pressure, your arteries may be damaged. High BP helps in narrowing your arteries and prevents the normal flow of blood. Additionally, the increased blood pressure, over time, may cause an aneurysm to form on the wall of the arteries. If this aneurysm bursts, it can lead to haemorrhage and internal bleeding, which can be fatal.

• Damage to heart

Coronary arteries carry blood to your heart. High blood pressure can narrow these arteries, leading to insufficient blood for the heart. This can cause chest pain or even a heart attack. Additionally, your heart will need to work much harder to pump adequate amounts of blood throughout the body if you suffer from hypertension. Sustained stress on the heart muscle can lead to heart failure and cardiac arrest. This too can be life-threatening.

• Damage to brain

High blood pressure can wreak havoc in your brain as well. For instance, if the narrowing of blood vessels prevents blood from flowing into the brain due to high BP, you will suffer from a Transient Ischemic Attack or TIA. A TIA is often an indication of an oncoming stroke. Therefore, your high blood pressure may also result in a stroke, due to a rupture in one of the brain’s blood vessels.

• Alzheimer’s disease or dementia

People with hypertension are also more likely to suffer from dementia when they age. Doctors believe that high blood pressure may be a factor responsible for causing Alzheimer’s disease in some people. Alzheimer’s is a degenerative condition, where blockage of blood flow to the brain may affect cognition.

• The threat to the kidneys

Aside from harming these organs, elevated blood pressure is also responsible for damaging the kidneys. In some cases, if you do not start treatment for the high BP soon, your kidneys may fail completely, leading to dialysis or a kidney transplant. The condition also affects the health of your eyes and may lead to sexual dysfunction.

Hypertension or high blood pressure can be controlled by adopting certain dietary and lifestyle changes. Consult a doctor, get yourself checked and discuss the treatment plan based on your present condition.