Hypertension and Heart Disease
Some people mistakenly believe that hypertension means that an individual is hyperactive, nervous, tense or very stressed out. That is not what hypertension is. Hypertension is the medical or scientific term for high blood pressure.
In fact it is very possible for a person to feel very calm and relaxed but still have hypertension even though they don’t show any obvious symptoms. This is why hypertension is quite often referred to as the ’silent killer’. The only way to know for sure whether or not you have hypertension is to have your blood pressure checked by a healthcare professional.
Hypertension can be deadly and should always be taken seriously. It causes the heart to work beyond its normal capacity, which means that both the heart and the arteries are more likely to be damaged. High blood pressure raises the potential for both heart attacks and strokes to occur. It also paves the way for congestive heart failure, atherosclerosis, kidney failure, and damage to the eyes.
If hypertension is left untreated, the heart is then forced to work harder than it should to pump enough blood and oxygen to the organs and tissues of the body. A heart that is forced to work beyond its normal capacity over an extended period of time will enlarge to an abnormal size and become weaker. A heart that is only enlarged a small amount could possibly still function adequately , unlike a seriously enlarged heart that will not.
Hypertension also adversely affects the arterioles and arteries. Over time both the arteries and arterioles harden, become scarred and the elasticity is not as good. Problems with the arteries and arterioles sometimes get worse as people grow older, however having hypertension speeds the process along, mostly because it accelerates a condition known as atherosclerosis.
Damage to arteries as a result of hypertension is not good because it means that the arteries have become hardened and/or narrowed which makes it difficult to make sure all of the organs receive their necessary share of blood. If the body’s organs are unable to receive the blood they need as well as the nutrients, they will have a difficult time working to their optimum capacity and this could mean other health problems could develop.
But that is not the only problem that arterial damage could cause. Another fear is that a blood clot could become clogged in an artery that has been blocked by fatty deposits. The blood clot could back up the blood supply in that area of the body and therefore blood does not get to where it needs to go.
The best way of avoiding the problems caused by hypertension is by not developing it in the first place. The things you can do to reduce your risk of having high blood pressure include eating a healthy diet, taking plenty of exercise, and making sure you don’t get overweight.
If you do develop hypertension, then it is essential that you visit your health care provider on a regular basis to make sure your blood pressure is monitored and if necessary the appropriate medications can be prescribed.
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