The title of this article may be a bit sedate given the alarming statistics surrounding high blood pressure. To give you an idea about what we’re referring to, nearly half of all American adults have high blood pressure, and this condition is listed as a primary contributor to the cause of death for nearly half a million people each year in the United States.
In other words, high blood pressure is very serious and shouldn’t be ignored.
The team here at Lafferty Family Care, under the direction of Dr. Scott Lafferty, is all too familiar with the frightening consequences of long-term high blood pressure, and we want to make sure that you understand them, as well.
With that in mind, here’s a look at a few of the more serious conditions that can stem from high blood pressure.
Let’s get straight to one of the most serious concerns when it comes to hypertension — your risk for a heart attack.
High blood pressure is just that, excessive pressure against the walls of your blood vessels. Over time, this added pressure can lead to damage in your arteries, causing blockages that prevent blood from circulating through your heart properly. As a result, you’re at a much higher risk for heart attack, which is one of the leading causes of death in the United States.
Your brain is full of delicate blood vessels, and high blood pressure can weaken them, leaving them more vulnerable to becoming clogged by clots. When this happens, it prevents blood from reaching your brain (a stroke), which can be life-threatening or life-altering.
When high blood pressure causes damage to your blood vessels, it forces your heart to work harder to pump blood. As a result of this extra effort, your heart can become enlarged and struggle to circulate oxygen-rich blood throughout your body.
If your arteries are damaged due to hypertension, weak spots can develop and trap blood, causing that section of your artery to bulge, which is called an aneurysm. An ruptured aneurysm occurs when this section of weakened artery leaks blood (or bursts), leading to internal bleeding.
The primary culprit behind kidney failure is diabetes, but high blood pressure comes in second. With high blood pressure, the blood vessels in your kidneys can narrow and affect the function of these vital organs.
Your eyes contain many delicate blood vessels, and high blood pressure can damage them, causing vision loss.
In order to achieve and maintain an erection, you need ample blood flow to your penis. If your blood vessels aren’t functioning optimally because of high blood pressure, you can join the millions of men who suffer from erectile dysfunction.
When the blood vessels in your arms or legs are weakened or blocked because of hypertension, you can experience pain, fatigue, and weakness in your limbs.
We want to reiterate that these are just some of the more common, and scary, potential consequences of unchecked hypertension, and there are more. However, we think this is enough to get your attention.
The good news is that getting your blood pressure checked is easy and painless. If we find a problem, there are many steps we can take to bring your blood pressure numbers back down.
To get started, please contact our office in Bentonville, Arkansas, to set up your cardiac prevention assessment.
