Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a condition where the force of blood against your artery walls is consistently too high. This persistent elevation often presents without noticeable symptoms, earning it the moniker “silent killer.” Over time, this sustained pressure places significant strain on the body’s blood vessels and organs, leading to considerable damage.
Impact on the Heart
High blood pressure causes the heart to work harder to pump blood. This increased workload leads to a thickening and enlargement of the heart muscle, particularly the left ventricle, known as left ventricular hypertrophy. An enlarged heart muscle can eventually weaken and become less efficient at pumping blood, potentially leading to heart failure.
The constant high pressure can damage the inner lining of the arteries, making them less elastic and prone to the buildup of fatty plaques. This process, called atherosclerosis, narrows the arteries, restricting blood flow to the heart and contributing to coronary artery disease. A narrowed coronary artery can lead to chest pain or, if completely blocked, a heart attack. Hypertension increases the risk of these serious cardiovascular events.
Effects on the Brain
High blood pressure impacts the brain by damaging its delicate blood vessels. This damage can lead to a stroke, which occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain is interrupted or a blood vessel ruptures. Ischemic strokes happen when a vessel is blocked, often by a clot, while hemorrhagic strokes result from a burst blood vessel.
Chronic high blood pressure can harm the small blood vessels deep within the brain. This consistent damage restricts blood flow, potentially leading to cognitive impairment and vascular dementia, affecting memory, thinking, and overall brain function. The weakened blood vessels become more susceptible to blockages or ruptures, increasing the likelihood of severe brain injury.
Damage to the Kidneys
The kidneys filter waste from the blood and regulate blood pressure. High blood pressure can directly damage the tiny blood vessels within the kidneys, known as glomeruli, which filter blood. This damage impairs the kidneys’ ability to effectively remove waste products and excess fluid from the body.
Over time, this reduced filtering capacity can lead to chronic kidney disease (CKD). In severe cases, kidney function may deteriorate to the point of kidney failure, requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant. Kidney damage can worsen existing hypertension, creating a cycle where each condition exacerbates the other.
Impairment of Eyes and Blood Vessels
High blood pressure can affect the eyes by damaging the fine blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. This condition, known as hypertensive retinopathy, can lead to blurred vision, bleeding, and, if untreated, permanent vision loss or blindness. The elevated pressure causes retinal blood vessels to narrow and stiffen, limiting blood flow.
Beyond the eyes, hypertension causes widespread damage to blood vessels. It weakens and stiffens arteries, a process called atherosclerosis, which reduces their elasticity. This arterial damage can contribute to the formation of aneurysms, dangerous bulges in the vessel walls that can rupture and cause life-threatening bleeding. Impaired blood flow to the limbs due to narrowed arteries can lead to peripheral artery disease (PAD).