High blood pressure

Samira accompanied her mother when her mother went for a routine checkup. She asked the family doctor to check her blood pressure too. At 43, Samira was more than a little surprised to find that she had high blood pressure. “I have never had any symptoms,” she said in disbelief.

High blood pressure (or hypertension) has long been called a "silent killer" because it often causes no symptoms. After age 50, high blood pressure is more common in women than men. Untreated, high blood pressure can lead to other serious health conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.

Along with diabetes, heart disease and obesity, high blood pressure is part of syndrome X or the metabolic syndrome which is affecting more and more Indians.

What is blood pressure?

Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of the blood vessels. Your doctor will give you two numbers when she takes your blood pressure, e.g. 120/80 mm. The upper number is called the systolic and the lower number is called the diastolic blood pressure. The diastolic blood pressure is given more importance in deciding whether your blood pressure is under control or not.

Risk for high blood pressure

High blood pressure can have a number of causes and often runs in families. Lifestyle habits can increase your risk for high blood pressure. Women, who are overweight, are not physically active, have diabetes or have a family history of high blood pressure, are more at risk.

How high blood pressure affects your body

People with high blood pressure often have no symptoms and feel fine. Long before high blood pressure causes symptoms, however, it can damage vital organs in your body. If it is not treated, high blood pressure can lead to very serious health problems.

Long-term high blood pressure can damage blood vessels. Cholesterol plaque causes the arteries to narrow and harden. This is called atherosclerosis. The combination of atherosclerosis and high blood pressure sets the stage for stroke and heart attack.

As blood pressure rises, the heart has to work harder to deliver oxygen to the tissues. Over time, the heart enlarges and may have trouble doing its work. This can lead to heart failure.

High blood pressure can cause a blood vessel in the brain to burst and lead to stroke. Brain cells in that part of the brain may die. A stroke that continues for a few minutes can cause permanent brain damage or death. Depending on the part of the brain affected, signals from that part of the brain to the body can be disrupted and can affect speech, movement, and other bodily functions.

The blood vessels in the kidneys can be easily damaged by high blood pressure. When the kidneys are not working normally, it can result in kidney failure.

High blood pressure can also narrow the blood vessels in the eyes. This can cause the vision to become worse and may even lead to blindness.