High blood pressure is sneaky. It causes virtually no symptoms while silently damaging your body, and this can happen for years without your knowledge. That's why it's crucial to have regular checks with your doctor to check your blood pressure and know your numbers. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can have a devastating impact on your health.
Keeping you and your family well is a top priority for internal medicine physician Pabhdeep Singh, MD. Each year high blood pressure claims the lives of over 500,000 adults in the United States, but you don't have to be one of them. Dying from hypertension-related causes is preventable. In this post, you'll learn how high blood pressure affects your health and what you can do to lower your risk.
Blood pressure refers to the amount of force against your artery walls as blood flows throughout your body. When your heart beats, it pushes blood through your arteries and circulates it to your tissues and organs.
When your cardiovascular system is healthy, blood vessels are wide, relaxed, and flexible. High blood pressure, on the other hand, places excess pressure against your artery walls. If this pressure stays high for too long, it can lead to health problems.
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke. When your blood pressure is high it forces the heart to work harder to pump blood throughout your body, which can cause the heart to thicken, increasing your risk of heart attack, as well as heart failure.
Hypertension is the most common cause of strokes. Hypertension can lead to a stroke in many ways. It can weaken blood vessels in your brain, causing a blood vessel to rupture or leak. High blood pressure can also cause blood clots to form in the arteries that provide nutrient-rich blood to your brain. The clot can block the flow of oxygen, causing a stroke.
The blood vessels that nourish the kidneys are tiny and delicate. Damage to these blood vessels from high blood pressure can prevent your kidneys from filtering blood well. Over time the blood vessels can become narrow and damaged, leading to kidney failure.
Just like your kidneys, the blood vessels that nourish your eyes can become damaged from high blood pressure. Long-standing hypertension damages the retina, which is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of your eye. This can lead to blurred vision, and over time, loss of vision.
High blood pressure is detrimental to your health. Partnering with a health care provider to make the necessary changes is the best thing you can do for your heart health. Adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle that includes eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, slashing your salt intake, and limiting saturated fat, as well as getting regular physical activity, can protect your heart health.
Make your heart health a top priority. To get started, contact our El Centro, California office at 760-208-1338 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Singh. You can also book online at your convenience.
