The Importance of Treating Your Hypertension

More than 100 million adults in the United States have high blood pressure, and only about half are receiving appropriate treatment to keep it under control. While hypertension doesn’t cause obvious symptoms, it’s dangerous when left untreated. Hypertension is commonly referred to as a “silent killer” because it quietly damages the body over time.

At CA Heart and Vein Specialists, board-certified cardiovascular physician Dr. Majed Chane provides comprehensive evaluation and treatment of a full range of conditions and diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels. Our team is devoted to helping you keep your heart as healthy as possible.

Regular heart health checkups play an important role in detecting potential problems such as hypertension. If you have high blood pressure, proper treatment is key to reducing your risk for serious complications.

Blood pressure overview

Your blood pressure is the force against your arteries when your heart beats and in between beats. Pressure that is too high causes damage to blood vessels throughout the body. A normal blood pressure is below 120/80, while high blood pressure is a consistent reading above 130/80. 

During the early stages of hypertension, dietary and lifestyle changes may be enough to bring your blood pressure down. It’s normal for your blood pressure to change throughout the day depending on your activities. However, a blood pressure that is persistently elevated is bad news for your heart and blood vessels.

Heart attack and stroke

Hypertension is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke. Constantly high blood pressure causes your heart to work harder and damages blood vessels that have the vital role of supplying oxygen-rich blood to your organs and tissues. The damage from hypertension can cause blood vessels to narrow and become blocked, setting the stage for a heart attack. 

Likewise, blood vessels in the brain can become clogged or even burst. A stroke occurs when blood vessels in the brain become blocked, interrupting the flow of oxygen. Each year, more than 800,000 Americans have a heart attack and close to 800,000 have a stroke.

Heart failure

Hypertension increases the workload on your heart. In response, your heart may become enlarged and over time have trouble keeping up with demand. Heart failure occurs when your heart can no longer supply enough blood to meet your body’s needs.

Leaving high blood pressure untreated hikes your risk of heart failure.

Kidney damage

Your kidneys filter and remove waste and excess fluid. The kidneys have a concentrated network of blood vessels so they can do their job.

Over time, high blood pressure can damage the blood vessels of the kidneys, causing damage and reducing kidney function. In fact, hypertension is the second leading cause of kidney failure behind Type 2 diabetes.

Vision loss

High blood pressure can damage the delicate blood vessels that supply blood to the eye. Hypertension can eventually cause vascular changes such as hypertensive retinopathy.

This occurs when blood vessels that nourish the retina become damaged. Symptoms include reduced vision, eye swelling, double vision, and headaches. Most people don’t have symptoms until the condition has progressed.

Your heart health is our top priority. If you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure or are concerned about your heart health, the team at CA Heart and Vein Specialists can help. For this and all of your cardiovascular needs, call 657-206-8491 to schedule an appointment, with Dr. Chane, or request a booking online.