High blood pressure, also medically referred to as hypertension, is a disease where a person's blood pressure, on two or more readings on different dates, is higher than the normal range, according to "Understanding Medical Surgical Nursing" by Linda Williams and Paula Hopper. Normal readings should not exceed 140 systolic (top number) or 90 diastolic (bottom number), per "Basic Nursing" by Patricia Potter and Anne Griffin. Hypertension can eventually cause irreversible complications and, possibly, death.
Atherosclerosis
Artherosclerosis is a disease where plaque, a deposit of fatty material on the lining of an artery, builds in the arteries, notes the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Jagged edges of plaque can allow blood cells to stick to the artery walls. This buildup can calcify and harden over time, causing damage to the arteries. When the passage through the artery becomes narrowed, or stenosed, partial or total blockage of the artery can result, thus, reducing blood flow, state Williams and Hopper. The tissue with the reduced blood flow is then at risk for damage. This disease can lead to heart attack or stroke.
Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary arteries supply blood to the heart muscle, and, when blood flow through those vessels reduces due to blockage, the term used is coronary artery disease (CAD), per Williams and Hopper. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute says atherosclerosis is usually the primary cause of CAD. Severe reduction in blood flow can lead to a heart attack, also known as a myocardial infarction, resulting in permanent damage or, even, death.
Myocardial Infarction
A heart attack, also referred to by the medical term myocardial infarction (MI), is the death of heart muscle, explain Williams and Hopper. An MI occurs from CAD, and the extent of the damage depends on where the blockage occurs and how severe it is. The heart muscle has to have adequate, oxygenated blood flow to contract, or results can be devastating.
Stroke
Cerebrovascular accident (CVA), commonly called a stroke, is death of brain tissue caused by lack of blood flow to the brain. Strokes affect at least 500,000 people each year, state Williams and Hopper. According to MedlinePlus, there are two types of strokes, hemorrhagic and ischemic, and high blood pressure is the number one cause in both types. Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when vessels in the brain become weak and burst open. Ischemic stroke happens when a clot blocks blood flow to the brain.
Kidney and Eye Damage
Damage done to the arteries over time can cause chronic kidney disease, and the kidneys may stop removing wastes and extra fluids from the body, explains the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Blood pressure can increase even more when extra fluid builds up in the body. Vision complications from hypertension can range from blurriness to blindness. Blood vessels in the eyes may also burst or bleed, warns the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.
References
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: CAD
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: Atherosclerosis
- "Understanding Medical Surgical Nursing"; Linda Williams and Paula Hopper; 2003
- "Basic Nursing"; Patricia Potter and Anne Griffin; 2003
- MedlinePlus: Stroke
