Nearly half of adults in the United States have high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a cardiac condition where the force of blood against the arteries is large enough to cause health complications. Some of these health conditions are heart diseases. The higher the number of pumps of your heart, the higher the pressure of your blood.
Dr. Kalpana Desai is a high blood pressure specialist that can treat your condition before it reaches critical levels. The mortality rate of high blood pressure is very high. However, precautions can be taken to get treatment early. You need to understand the risk factors for high blood pressure to take necessary precautions and the complications related to high blood pressure.
Complications Related to High Blood Pressure
- Aneurysm- Aneurysm is a deadly condition associated with increased high blood pressure in the veins that cause the veins to bulge and weaken. Aneurysm causes the blood vessel to rupture. A brain aneurysm is one of the most common types of aneurysms. An aneurysm can be treated early if the condition is detected as soon as possible.
- Dementia- High blood pressure can cause dementia due to narrow or blocked arteries of the brain.
- Stroke- A stroke is caused by the thickening and hardening of the arteries. Atherosclerosis is a condition related to the thickening and hardening of the arteries, which causes a stroke.
- Heart failure- The heart is forced to pump harder when the blood pressure is above average. The heart fails to keep up with the high blood pressure causing heart failure. Doctors worldwide encourage people to maintain healthy lifestyles to reduce the risk of heart failure caused by high blood pressure.
- Vision loss- High blood pressure causes thickening and narrowing of the blood vessels of the eyes. The condition consequently causes weak vision or loss of vision.
Risk Factors for High Blood Pressure
- Family history- Your family may have a history of high blood pressure. You need to go for regular medical checkups if you have a history of high blood pressure.
- Age- High blood pressure is very common in people above the age of sixty-five.
- Gender- Men experience high blood pressure as compared to women.
- Obesity- Obesity is a condition associated with overweight individuals. Obese individuals require a lot of nutrients in their body tissues. Overweight people, therefore, require more blood to supply the nutrients, which consequently increases blood pressure.
- Excess sodium in your diet- Sodium increases water retention in the body. Increased body retention increases blood pressure.
- Excessive consumption of alcohol- Overconsumption of alcohol increases the amount of calcium that binds to the blood vessels. This situation increases the sensitivity of blood vessels to compounds that constrict them. The constriction of the blood vessels leads to high blood pressure. It would be best if you avoided overconsumption of alcohol to reduce high blood pressure.
Manage Your Blood Pressure
Visit Integrated Family Medical Center to manage your blood pressure. High blood pressure is risky to your health. Many people maintain healthy blood pressure levels by visiting blood pressure specialists who offer them treatment and advice on healthy living.
