High Blood Pressure Is No Joke — Here’s How It Hurts Your Body
We all know high blood pressure is bad. After all, we hear consistent warnings from our friends, family, and physicians. Yet something is very often missing in these conversations: the why. Why does having high blood pressure matter? Does it really affect your health that much? In short, yes. Hypertension can have some devastating effects on your body.
There’s some good news, though. If you monitor it carefully and work with your doctor, you can minimize these major health concerns. Let’s take a look.
1. Your eye health suffers
Information from Mayo Clinic | iStock.com/MangoStar_Studio
The blood vessels in your eyes supply blood to your retina, which triggers nerve impulses that pass through the optic nerve on their way to your brain. You may suffer complete vision loss if these vessels are damaged. If you have type 2 diabetes, your risk of total blindness increases.
2. The likelihood of an aneurysm increases
Information from WebMD | iStock.com/Piotr Adamowicz
The most dangerous types of aneurysms form on your aorta or the vessels that supply blood to your brain. Most aneurysms don’t show symptoms, so it’s important to get checkups regularly so your doctor can intervene before you get hurt.
3. Sexual dysfunction is likely
Information from the Journal of Hypertension | iStock.com
Both men and women can suffer from sexual dysfunction as a result of high blood pressure. Hypertension patients experience this condition at higher rates than those with normal blood pressure.
4. You could be headed toward diabetes
Information from Healthline | iStock.com/BernardaSv
If you have high blood pressure, you’re at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This also increases your likelihood of suffering nerve damage and kidney disease.
5. The risk of having a stroke increases
Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | iStock.com/stockdevil
A stroke occurs when damaged blood vessels can’t get enough oxygen to your brain, causing brain cell death. This can lead to speech and motor difficulties, and could also kill you.
6. You could end up with dementia
Information from the Alzheimer’s Association | iStock.com/AlexRaths
Blood vessels supply both oxygen and nutrition to your brain. Without the proper nutrients, normal brain function starts to deteriorate. Sudden or gradual cognitive decline can result in confusion, disorientation, and having trouble communicating or understanding spoken words.
7. Kidney damage can be severe
Information from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute | iStock.com/vadimguzhva
If the blood vessels in your kidneys become narrow due to high blood pressure, your chances of developing chronic kidney disease increase significantly. Damaged kidneys won’t filter toxins out of your blood as efficiently as healthy ones, and if damage is severe, they’re likely to fail completely.
8. You might end up with osteoporosis
Information from WebMD | iStock.com/KatarzynaBialasiewicz
Your bones depend largely on calcium to maintain density. It’s possible to lose calcium when you have high blood pressure, which weakens your bones and increases your risk of fracture.
9. And yes, it really hurts your heart
Information from the American Heart Association | iStock.com/BrianAJackson
Similar to the way brain cells can die off without oxygen, heart muscle can die if damaged arteries interrupt blood flow. This causes a heart attack, which isn’t always, but can be, deadly.
10. So, what can you do?
Information from Rush University Medical Center | iStock.com
Medication is sometimes necessary to treat dangerously high blood pressure. In the long-term, maintaining a diet rich in plant-based foods and engaging in regular physical activity can help you manage your symptoms and prevent severe damage to your body.