What Are the Health Risks of High Blood Pressure? - Why You Cannot Ignore This Disease
Few other conditions can top the health risks of high blood pressure.
Known as the "Silent Killer" HBP or hypertension has no outward symptoms until a major event such as a heart attack occurs.
HBP kills 50,000 Americans each year and contributes to another 300,000 according to the American Heart Association.
The risks of high blood pressure are far too dangerous to ignore.
First, what is blood pressure? Blood pressure is the force exerted against the walls of the blood vessel when the heart pumps.
Healthy blood vessels are elastic and can expand and contract to efficiently manage the high pressure when the heart pumps, and the lower pressure when it relaxes.
There are a variety of causes for high blood pressure but the basics are that the blood vessels become stiff or hardened and can no longer expand and contract as they once could.
Also, blockages may occur where fats have been absorbed by damaged cells creating plaque in the lining of the arteries.
These conditions cause the heart to pump harder as it now must move the blood through vessels with a smaller diameter.
This creates a greater pressure on the vessel walls and that is what high blood pressure is.
So what are the risks associated with hypertension? They're huge! Think about it.
We're talking about the distribution system for blood.
Blood provides nutrients and oxygen to every vital organ in our body.
When that distribution system is corrupted those organs are slowly starved to death.
Generally speaking, the four organs that are most affected by HBP are the heart, the brain, your kidneys, and the eyes.
Here's a short list of the dangers caused by the condition:
Changes in diet, exercise and stress management can not only lower blood pressure but repair some of the damage done to the arteries.
The suggested changes in lifestyle to reverse blood pressure will also lead to a healthier, longer life.
Obviously you can only take steps to control this condition if you know you have it.
Be sure to get your pressure checked at least annually.
Known as the "Silent Killer" HBP or hypertension has no outward symptoms until a major event such as a heart attack occurs.
HBP kills 50,000 Americans each year and contributes to another 300,000 according to the American Heart Association.
The risks of high blood pressure are far too dangerous to ignore.
First, what is blood pressure? Blood pressure is the force exerted against the walls of the blood vessel when the heart pumps.
Healthy blood vessels are elastic and can expand and contract to efficiently manage the high pressure when the heart pumps, and the lower pressure when it relaxes.
There are a variety of causes for high blood pressure but the basics are that the blood vessels become stiff or hardened and can no longer expand and contract as they once could.
Also, blockages may occur where fats have been absorbed by damaged cells creating plaque in the lining of the arteries.
These conditions cause the heart to pump harder as it now must move the blood through vessels with a smaller diameter.
This creates a greater pressure on the vessel walls and that is what high blood pressure is.
So what are the risks associated with hypertension? They're huge! Think about it.
We're talking about the distribution system for blood.
Blood provides nutrients and oxygen to every vital organ in our body.
When that distribution system is corrupted those organs are slowly starved to death.
Generally speaking, the four organs that are most affected by HBP are the heart, the brain, your kidneys, and the eyes.
Here's a short list of the dangers caused by the condition:
- Heart Attack
- Congestive Heart Failure
- Irregular Heart Beat
- Kidney Failure
- Stroke
- Mini Stroke
- Aneurysm
- Blindness
Changes in diet, exercise and stress management can not only lower blood pressure but repair some of the damage done to the arteries.
The suggested changes in lifestyle to reverse blood pressure will also lead to a healthier, longer life.
Obviously you can only take steps to control this condition if you know you have it.
Be sure to get your pressure checked at least annually.