Effects of hypertension

Effects of hypertension

1. Arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis
- Hypertension causes damage to the endothelial lining of the blood vessel. This leads to the hardening of the arteries which is called arteriosclerosis. Fats from the diet will enter the damaged cells and collect to form plaque (lipid accumulation), which is called atherosclerosis. Formation of plaque can obstruct the blood flow to various organs in the body, such as heart, brain and kidneys. The damage can cause many problems including angina, heart attack, heart failure and stroke.
- Atherosclerosis increases the risk of transient ischemic attack (TIA), or ministroke. TIA is a brief, temporary disruption of blood supply to the brain. A transient ischemic attack is often a warning that you're at risk of a full-blown stroke.
- Another potential effect is dementia. Vascular dementia, results from narrowing and blockage of the arteries that supply blood to the brain. It can also result from strokes caused by an interruption of blood flow to the brain.
2. Aneurysm
- Over time, the constant high pressure weakens the vessel wall and causes a section of the wall to enlarge and form a balloon –like bulge ( aneurysm). They can form in any arteries in the body, but most commonly in the body. An aneurysm can potentially rupture and cause internal bleeding (haemorrhage).
3. Enlarged left heart
- High blood pressure causes the heart to work harder because the heart has to pump harder against resistance. This causes the left ventricle to enlarge (left ventricular hypertrophy). This enlargement or stiffening limits the ventricle's ability to pump blood to your body. This increases the risk of heart attack, heart failure and sudden cardiac death.