Side Effects of High Blood Pressure

Blood Pressure refers to the pressure applied by the blood on the blood vessels as it circulates through the body. High blood pressure occurs when the walls of the blood vessels, mainly the bigger arteries, start to become less flexible and stiffen up causing more pressure to be exerted. In other terms, if your blood pressure goes above 140 mm Hg and below 90 mm Hg, you are said to have high blood pressure.

The problem with high blood pressure is that it does not have any significant symptoms, and can even go years without being noticed; that is until it strikes with a major, and sometimes fatal, illness. But common problems such as headaches, difficulties regarding sight or even fainting could be attributed as some of the side effects of high blood pressure. Therefore you should check your blood pressure if one or more of these problems occur. In average, one-third of the adults residing in UK suffer from high blood pressure, with the illness being more common in the elderly.

High blood pressure is a very dangerous disease which can cause very serious problems. High blood pressure can affect a person’s heart, brain, eyes and kidneys. It could also affect women and her fetus during pregnancy, though it is very rare.

With age, the blood vessels in people tend to lose their flexibility. This occurs more in the brain, heart and kidneys. This is where high blood pressure actually begins and tends to increase as the walls get stiffer and the pressure builds. This puts added load on the heart and kidneys, making them work harder and tiring them faster.

One of the major causes of heart attack is high blood pressure. The oxygen enriched blood gets carried to the heart through the arteries, and if the heart does not have enough oxygen, it causes pain in your chest. And if blood flow is blocked altogether, a heart attack will occur. Congestive heart failure is also caused by high blood pressure which occurs when the heart cannot pump the required amount of blood for the body.

High blood pressure is one of the major factors to the cause of a stroke. If the pressure is too high, one of the weaker blood vessels located in the brain could tear or break. If bleeding happens in the brain, a stroke will occur. A blocked artery in the brain can also be the cause of a stroke.

The kidneys are the filters of the human body. They work to remove all the waste material from the blood. With high blood pressure, the walls of the vessels get thicker and the kidney filters less waste. As the harmful pollutants start to pile, it could cause kidney failure. In this case, a kidney transplant is required.

It is never a good thing to have high blood pressure, and those who suffer from it should check it regularly to make sure it does not increase. Regular exercise and a healthy diet is all it takes to keep the body in shape and away from illnesses, and medication is also available which helps regulate your blood pressure and keep it in check.