Hypertension is a common chronic disease and an important risk factor for many serious diseases such as heart disease and stroke. Hypertension is defined as persistently higher than normal blood pressure, which is a systolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 130 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) or diastolic blood pressure (blood pressure during diastolic heart) greater than or equal to 80 mmHg.
The harm of high blood pressure not only increases the burden on the cardiovascular system, but also damages other organs and tissues, leading to a variety of complications and even life-threatening. This article will cover common complications of high blood pressure and how to prevent and reduce them by managing them well.
High blood pressure can cause the walls of blood vessels to thicken, harden, and narrow, affecting the normal flow of blood, which can cause various complications. Depending on the location and extent of involvement, complications of hypertension can be divided into the following categories [2][2]:
Heart disease: High blood pressure increases the load on the heart, thickens the heart muscle, and decreases heart function, leading to heart failure, arrhythmia, angina, myocardial infarction and other heart diseases. Heart disease is the most common complication of high blood pressure and one of the leading causes of death in people with high blood pressure.
Stroke: High blood pressure can damage the blood vessels in the brain, making them thin, fragile, and prone to rupture, or form blood clots, blocking blood flow, leading to ischemia or bleeding in the brain, causing stroke. Stroke is one of the most serious complications of high blood pressure and can lead to neurological dysfunction, disability or death.
Kidney disease: High blood pressure can damage the microvasculature of the kidneys, affect the filtration and excretion functions of the kidneys, and lead to kidney lesions, such as glomerulosclerosis, renal artery stenosis, renal failure, etc. Kidney disease is one of the major complications of high blood pressure, which can worsen the severity of high blood pressure and form a vicious circle.
Ocular lesions: High blood pressure can damage the blood vessels in the fundus, leading to retinal arteriosclerosis, retinal hemorrhage, retinal detachment, optic nerve atrophy and other eye lesions. Ocular lesions are one of the common complications of high blood pressure, affecting vision and even leading to blindness.
Aneurysm: High blood pressure puts constant pressure on the walls of blood vessels, causing local dilation and weakening, forming an aneurysm. Aneurysms are one of the dangerous complications of high blood pressure, and if ruptured, can cause heavy bleeding and be life-threatening. Aneurysms are commonly found in aorta, cerebral arteries, coronary arteries, etc.
Peripheral arterial disease:
High blood pressure can cause hardening, narrowing, and blockage of peripheral arteries (such as leg arteries), affecting the flow of blood**, leading to peripheral arterial disease. Peripheral arterial disease is one of the common complications of hypertension, which can cause symptoms such as pain, numbness, ulcers, and gangrene in the lower limbs.
Cognitive impairment: High blood pressure affects blood flow and oxygen to the brain**, leading to damage or death of brain cells, causing cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment is one of the potential complications of hypertension, which can affect memory, attention, judgment, language and other abilities, and increase the risk of dementia.
Sexual dysfunction:
High blood pressure can affect blood flow and nerve conduction in the sexual organs, leading to sexual dysfunction. Sexual dysfunction is one of the common complications of hypertension, which can affect libido, sexual performance, sexual satisfaction, etc., and reduce quality of life.
Metabolic syndrome:
Hypertension is closely related to obesity, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia and other metabolic diseases, which together constitute metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is one of the important complications of high blood pressure and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
The complications of high blood pressure are beyond imagination and pose a huge threat to your health and life. Therefore, controlling high blood pressure is equivalent to controlling these common complications, which is an important measure to protect your health and life. The main ways to control high blood pressure are as follows:
Measure blood pressure regularly to detect and diagnose hypertension in a timely manner.
When taking antihypertensive drugs, follow the doctor's guidance, choose the appropriate drug, master the correct usage, adhere to regular medication, and do not increase or decrease the dose or stop the drug at will.
Adjust your lifestyle, maintain a healthy diet, reduce your intake of salt, oil, sugar, and alcohol, increase fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat foods, and avoid high-cholesterol and high-calorie foods.
Increase physical activity, do moderate exercise every day, such as walking, cycling, swimming, etc., for at least 30 minutes each time, at least 5 times a week, to control weight and reduce belly fat.
Quit smoking, the nicotine in tobacco will stimulate vasoconstriction, raise blood pressure, and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, so patients with high blood pressure should quit smoking as soon as possible and avoid passive smoking.
Reduce stress, maintain a good mindset, learn to relax, avoid excessive mood swings, seek support from family, friends or professionals, engage in beneficial social activities, and develop hobbies.
That's it for you to see the common complications of high blood pressure and how to prevent and reduce them by controlling high blood pressure. I hope it helps you, if you have any other questions, please leave a comment.