I’m pretty sure that everyone reading this knows someone who suffers from High blood pressure or even suffers from it. In fact my dad suffered from it, but it was well managed.
It’s very common

𝑳𝒆𝒕’𝒔 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒌 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒔 -𝑵𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝑫𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝑳𝑰𝑬

I was shocked when I found this data!!
As of recent data, high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a major global health concern affecting millions worldwide.

Here are some important statistics:
Do you know that about 1.28 billion adults aged 30-79 years have hypertension worldwide? Sadly, a significant portion remains undiagnosed. This is very alarming

According to the WHO, only about 46% of adults with hypertension are aware of their condition, and among them, only 42% are receiving treatment. This is scary.

Sadly, only approximately 21% of individuals with hypertension have it under control.

High blood pressure is often called the “𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫” because it typically has no obvious symptoms until significant damage has occurred. Many people are unaware they have hypertension because they don’t feel different, allowing the condition to quietly progress, unknown to them, and cause harm. I didn’t know my blood pressure was slightly raised until I had a routine checked in a community I belonged to a couple of years ago.

Without regular monitoring, individuals may not know they are at risk until they experience serious health issues, such as heart disease, stroke, kidney damage, or other complications. This lack of symptoms emphasises the importance of regular check-ups to detect and manage high blood pressure early. Don’t joke with regular checkups, especially if it runs in your family. When I was a young adult, I used to suffer from headaches, and it used to give my dad concern. He’d endure my blood pressure checked. Thankfully, it was fine

High blood pressure can have serious health repercussions if left unmanaged. Let’s take a look at these repercussions:

1. 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉:

Persistent high blood pressure can lead to heart disease, which includes:-

Increased Workload:
The consistent force or pressure places so much burden on the cardiovascular system. This results in forcing the heart to work harder to pump blood. This then causes the heart muscles to thicken and enlarge. This thickening is dangerous, and this condition, known as left ventricular hypertrophy, reduces the heart’s efficiency and can lead to HEART FAILURE.

Damage to the arteries :
We cannot afford to allow this to happen at all. It must be avoided!! Prolonged high blood pressure damages the lining of the arteries, making them less elastic. Imagine that your arteries are like hoses and just imagine what happens when you pass water in at high pressure. This damage to the arteries then leads to the buildup of plaque, increasing the risk of atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries).

Heart Attack Risk:
A heart attack can be sudden without warning. High blood pressure results from tight or constricted arteries. This then leads to the heart receiving less blood and oxygen. If an artery becomes completely blocked, it can lead to a heart attack.

Heart Failure:
With the increased workload and arterial damage (damage caused to the arteries by consistent high pressure) mentioned earlier have consequences such as a weakened heart muscle, inability to pump blood efficiently, and result in heart failure.

Arrhythmias:
Have you ever experienced irregular heartbeats? I have before, and it can be scary. Hypertension can contribute to irregular heartbeats, increasing the risk of atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias. Other factors can cause this

Stroke Risk:
Do you know how devastating strokes can be? I’ve seen so much, and it’s scary. We shouldn’t experience it. High blood pressure can cause damage to the blood vessels in the brain, significantly raising the risk of a stroke.

2. 𝑲𝒊𝒅𝒏𝒆𝒚 𝒅𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒆

This is one complication that can be very devastating. I’ve seen too many lives affected by this. Hypertension can harm the kidneys, potentially leading to kidney failure or the need for dialysis. Dialysis can really reduce the quality of life, not to even consider the cost!!

How?

Damages Kidney Blood Vessels:
High blood pressure can damage the blood vessels in the kidneys (as these vessels are very thin), reducing their ability to filter blood effectively. Filtration is a major function of our kidneys.

Reduced Kidney Function:
Over time, the continued stress from high blood pressure can cause kidney function to decline, leading to chronic kidney disease (CKD). This surely reduces our quality of life and can lead to early death
Proteinuria:

High blood pressure can lead to protein leakage into the urine (proteinuria), which is an early sign of kidney damage. This is one of the things detected in a urine test

Feedback Loop:
There’s this viscous cycle !!! High blood pressure damages kidneys and then damaged kidneys can further activate high blood pressure by their inability to regulate fluids and electrolytes! That’s the origin of the vicious cycle.

3. 𝑽𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑳𝒐𝒔𝒔:

For someone who’s almost lost her sight to detached retina and cataracts, I understand the impact of sight loss . It can damage the blood vessels in the eyes, leading to vision impairment or blindness.

Retinopathy:
Hypertension can damage the small blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. This condition is known as hypertensive retinopathy. Damage to these vessels can lead to bleeding, swelling, and reduced blood flow, impairing vision. It’s one damage we can’t afford at all. My detached retina, which happened years ago, made me vulnerable to cataracts.

Increased Risk of Eye Disease:
Hypertension can increase the risk of other eye diseases, such as glaucoma, by affecting the pressure in the eye. In fact, glaucoma is said to be high blood pressure of the eyes, and it can lead to blindness. If you suffer from high blood pressure, make it a priority to get the pressure of your eyes checked. Like high blood pressure, it may show no signs till it’s too late!

Regular eye exams can also help detect early signs of damage.

4. 𝑪𝒐𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒄𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆:

This is related to the brain. Uncontrolled blood pressure has been linked to cognitive issues and an increased risk of dementia. That shows that dementia isn’t only linked to age

How?
Vascular ( vessels) Damage:
High blood pressure can damage the blood vessels in the brain as it does other organs, reducing blood flow and leading to conditions like the dreaded stroke. This can then directly impact brain function.

White Matter Lesions: Hypertension is associated with the development of white matter lesions in the brain. These lesions disrupt communication between different parts of the brain and can lead to cognitive impairment.

Inflammation:
Inflammation is the major cause of most long-term illnesses. Chronic hypertension can lead to inflammation in the brain, which is linked to degeneration of our nerves and cognitive decline

Oxidative Stress:
High blood pressure can increase oxidative stress, leading to free radicals that then lead to neuronal damage and impaired cognitive function. Hence, the importance of a diet rich in antioxidants

Amyloid Plaque Accumulation:
Hypertension may contribute to the accumulation of amyloid plaques, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease, which interferes with neuronal communication.
These factors collectively can lead to declines in memory, attention, executive function, and other cognitive abilities. To avoid all these brain diseases, we must manage our blood pressure.

These are called complications that we must avoid by all means.

Taking action through dietary & lifestyle changes and medication, when necessary, can make a world of difference. I usually recommend natural ways. Regular check-ups and monitoring are key! 🩺