Hypertension and Its Effects on Your Body

Hypertension and Its Effects on Your Body

Also known as ‘the silent killer’, Hypertension can damage the body without showing any symptom for years. This is the reason that it is important to get it checked on a regular basis.

Listed below are the complications that your body faces due to hypertension.

Nervous System

High blood pressure leads to small tears in the arteries. These tears give space to the bad cholesterol that starts settling there. As the buildup of plaque increases, it starts to choke up the arteries, thereby, reducing the flow of blood.

Few of the effects of hypertension in the nervous system are:

• If the blockage happens to the arteries in the brain on a larger scale, you may suffer from a stroke. In such cases, immediate medical care is crucial for a healthy recovery
• High blood pressure also affects your memory and thinking abilities
• Dementia and cognitive decline are also associated with hypertension
• If the blood vessels in the eyes get affected by hypertension, it can lead to blindness or blurring.

Circulatory System

As mentioned above, hypertension can reduce the blood flow in the arteries and can significantly affect the circulatory system:

• A blockage in the heart vessels can cause pain in the chest, irregular heartbeats and even heart attack which needs immediate heart attack treatment from a reputed hospital for a healthy recovery
• You can also suffer from a heart failure
• Hypertension can also lead to the formation of a bulge in a damaged artery, which is known as an aneurysm. The bulge can enlarge over time and can be become fatal if it bursts in one of the major arteries

Respiratory System

Hypertension can also lead to the blockage in the arteries in the lungs. Health complications that can occur due to this are as follows:

• Can lead to pulmonary hypertension.
• Hypertension can also cause an aneurysm in pulmonary arteries

Reproductive System

It is not just the heart, lungs or brain that gets affected by hypertension; your sexual organs are also on the list. Here is how:

• Blockage in blood vessels to penis or vagina can lead to sexual dysfunction
• In men, it is difficult for them to experience and maintain an erection
• Women may face issues like decreased arousal, dryness in the vagina, and troubles in experiencing an orgasm.

Urinary System

Healthy blood vessels are necessary to help kidneys perform their tasks properly. However, as a result of hypertension, blood vessels can get damaged and stop the removal of waste and extra fluid from the body. If this improper functioning of kidneys continues for a long time, it can eventually lead to a kidney failure.

Some of the symptoms that you may experience when the kidneys do not function properly are:

• Loss of appetite
• Nausea
• Drowsiness
• Headaches
• Trouble with urination
• Shortness of breath
• Edema

Skeletal System

Hypertension can cause osteoporosis. This happens when calcium gets flushed out of the body during urination. A person who suffers from osteoporosis has weak bones that can break even through low impact accidents.

Though hypertension has various serious effects on the body, it can be prevented by adopting healthy habits. Some of the things you can try to keep a check of your blood pressure level include a healthy diet, regular exercise, avoiding unhealthy fats and quitting smoking.

You should also visit a heart hospital like Max Healthcare to have your blood pressure checked on a regular basis. A high blood pressure will require you to consult a health specialist.