While a person with hypertension or elevated blood pressure may experience few symptoms before significant health problems arise, there are numerous possible complications caused by chronic hypertension. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), hypertension complications can be serious and life-threatening, and a person should have his blood pressure regularly checked by a licensed health care professional.
Heart Disease
Heart disease is symptomatic or characteristic or chronic hypertension. According to the NIH, elevated blood pressure boosts the pressure in the blood vessels, and as the heart pumps against this increased resistance, it's required to work harder to pump a sufficient amount of blood to the body's organs and tissues. Over time, the heart—especially the heart's left ventricle—gets thicker and becomes enlarged. With an enlarged left ventricle, the amount of blood pumped by the heart each minute—which is known as cardiac output—diminishes. Left unchecked, congestive heart failure—the inability of the heart to supply the proper amount of blood to match physiological demands—may occur. The NIH also notes that hypertension is the most significant risk factor for heart disease and stroke, and that it can cause ischemic heart disease due to the increased demand for oxygen required by the enlarged heart.
Aneurysms
Aneurysms, or arterial ruptures, are a serious and potentially deadly complication associated with chronic hypertension. According to a 2000 study by K. A. Vardulaki and colleagues published in the "British Journal of Surgery," chronic hypertension, along with smoking and being male, are significant risk factors for developing abdominal aortic aneurysms, or AAAs. However, the researchers note that in their study, hypertension did not significantly affect the growth rate of existing AAAs.
The Mayo Clinic website states that, over time, elevated pressure in a weakened artery can cause a portion of the vessel's wall to bulge, which is characteristic of an aneurysm. If the aneurysm ruptures, life-threatening internal bleeding can occur. The Mayo Clinic notes that aneurysms can form in any artery, although they're most common in the aorta, which is the body's largest artery.
Blindness
If left untreated, prolonged high blood pressure can damage blood vessels in the eye, and in some cases, lead to blindness. According to the NIH, the greater the blood pressure and the longer it has been elevated, the greater a person's eye damage is likely to be. Blood vessels in the eyes are tiny and experience significant stress when blood pressure is chronically elevated. Hypertension also limits the amount of oxygen and blood getting to the eye, due to the narrowing of other peripheral blood vessels, which can affect eye health and vision. The Blood Pressure Updates website states that the principle part of the eye that's at risk from chronic hypertension is the retina, which is the part of the eye that allows a person to focus on an image. Hypertensive retinopathy involves damage of the delicate tissues and cells that compose the retina, which can cause a gradual loss of vision and even blindness.
References
- National Institutes of Health: Hypertension
- National Institutes of Health: Hypertensive Heart Disease
- "British Journal of Surgery"; Quantifying the Risks of Hypertension; K. A. Vardulaki et al.; 2000
- The Mayo Clinic: High Blood Pressure
- National Institutes of Health: Hypertensive Retinopathy
