Hypertension and its consequences

Most people with high blood pressure actually have no symptoms at all and may not even know they have it. Sometimes high blood pressure can cause symptoms such as headache, shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pain, palpitations of the heart or nose bleeds. If a person is said to suffer from hypertension, this expression means that the average arterial pressure of that person is above the level which is accepted as normal.

The higher the pressure in the blood vessels, the harder the heart has to work in order to pump blood. If left uncontrolled, high blood pressure may lead to enlargement of the heart, a heart attack and, eventually, to heart failure.

The increase in blood pressure is an interesting health problem for three reasons; it is frequently seen, its effects are sometimes destructive and its symptoms are not recognizable even in the later phases of the clinical course.

The risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality is directly correlated with blood pressure. Risks of stroke, MI, angina, heart failure, kidney failure or early death from a cardiovascular cause are directly correlated with blood pressure.
Hypertension and its consequences