Sunday, February 26, 2012

What Happens To A Person If He/She Suffers From Untreated High Blood Pressure?

By Margaret Burgess


Because people with high blood pressure do not usually have any symptoms until the disease has reached an advanced stage, high blood pressure is often called the "silent killer." As such, it would behoove every individual to have their blood pressure checked regularly.

The lack of symptoms is why some people who are aware they have high blood pressure do not take any steps to control and treat it. Because they feel okay they think everything is okay. Here are some of the many consequences of high blood pressure if left untreated.

Strokes are one consequence of uncontrolled high blood pressure. Blood is prevented from freely flowing to the brain as high blood pressure causes the sufferer's arteries to start narrowing. That can potentially cause blot clots in the brain, cause a blood vessel in the brain to leak, or cause a blood vessel in the brain to rupture.

Another consequence of untreated high blood pressure is kidney disease. [url]http://www.gothypertension.com/hypertension/hypertensionandkidneyfailure[/url] To put it succinctly, the narrowing of the arteries due to sustained high blood pressure leads to an impairment of blood circulation encompassing the entire body, and this, in turn leads to a buildup in waste in the blood as it does not get circulated to the kidneys - a process essential in expunging waste products from the bloodstream. As the waste builds up, it becomes more and more difficult for the kidneys to try and get rid of the waste, putting a big strain on the kidneys. At best, the kidney's functionality is severely hampered, while at worst, these functions can totally cease to be.

If the kidneys start to function at less than twenty percent of capacity, dialysis treatments will usually be needed. Such dialysis treatments are considered life-long, and one way an individual can avoid having to go through this would be to try for a kidney transplant operation, although the time this would be completed depends greatly on the availability of donors.

Problems with a person's eyes can also occur as a result of untreated high blood pressure, causing a loss of vision if it gets severe enough. High blood pressure can also lead to memory loss and dementia.

Generally speaking, heart problems are one of untreated high blood pressure's most common, and most serious consequences. The arteries in the heart can become hard and stiff from restricted blood flow, causing a condition called arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

One of the most common consequences of untreated high blood pressure is a buildup of plaque in a person's primary arteries. The plaque deposits reduce blood flow to the heart and can eventually cause a heart attack. If left alone, high blood pressure can cause the arteries and blood vessels to narrow. It becomes even harder for the heart to take in oxygen rich blood, as the arteries and blood vessels further close in. If the heart cannot get enough oxygen, it will cause a heart attack.




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