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High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of the most common health conditions, yet it’s possible to have it and not know it. High blood pressure doesn’t cause symptoms, but it certainly has consequences — sometimes serious ones.
Your blood pressure measures how much your blood pushes against the walls of your arteries when your heart beats and between beats. You can have high blood pressure and not know it; having your blood pressure taken or taking it yourself is the only way to know.
At least 30% of adults in the United States have high blood pressure, although many aren’t aware of it. The providers at Heart & Vascular Institute consider a blood pressure reading of 120/80 mmHg healthy, and a consistent reading of 130/80 mmHg high.
We offer treatment to help you manage your blood pressure. Since you don’t know you have high blood pressure without having it measured, our staff and providers encourage you to have your blood pressure checked regularly.
In this post, we discuss four possible consequences of untreated hypertension.
1. Cardiovascular system damage
High blood pressure damages your blood vessels over time, raising your risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and heart disease. Your arteries may become blocked, making it hard for your blood to circulate.
When your blood doesn’t circulate properly, your heart can become enlarged as it works harder to pump. Your arteries can also become stiffer, and plaque buildup is more likely.
2. Vision loss
Just as hypertension can damage the blood vessels that take blood to your heart, it can do the same to those that nourish your eyes. When your retinas don’t get the appropriate blood flow, you can develop blurred vision or lose sight completely.
3. Sexual dysfunction
A less-discussed consequence of hypertension is sexual dysfunction. High blood pressure damages blood vessels, which reduces blood flow, including blood flow to your pelvis. In men, the result can be erectile dysfunction; in women, it may lead to a lower sex drive.
4. Kidney damage
Just as with your heart, eyes, and pelvis, kidneys suffer if they don’t get blood carrying oxygen and nutrients. Over time, if your kidneys don’t get enough blood, they can no longer filter your blood or regulate fluid, hormones, acids, and salts.
Making matters worse, the kidneys play a role in regulating blood pressure. If high blood pressure damages your kidneys, your blood pressure is going to continue to worsen. Kidney damage and high blood pressure can become difficult to manage.
Protect your health
Getting your blood pressure measured is simple and painless. When you see your primary care doctor or any health care professional, you probably have your blood pressure taken routinely.
If you haven’t had your blood pressure taken for some time or have concerns such as a family history of hypertension, schedule an appointment by phone or online today at one of the five convenient Michigan locations of Heart & Vascular Institute.