Potential Consequences Of High Blood Pressure.

Many of the symptoms of high blood pressure can be vague and grey in nature and not necessarily indicative of high blood pressure at all but once suspected, should not be ignored. To quote a well worked proverb: “Better to be safe than sorry!” If you identify any of the symptoms or perhaps you’re not feeling quite on top of things, check it out as the repercussions of untreated hypertension can be deeply serious and far reaching. If you understand something about the potential consequences of high blood pressure, it will help you appreciate better where you are with your health. High blood pressure affects many functions of our body, all of which can lead to serious and even fatal consequences if left untreated. Some of the more common examples are:

• It can lead to hardened arteries, which in turn can cause other problems such as chest pain (angina); heart attack; heart failure; kidney failure; peripheral arterial disease, which usually affects the legs and causes pain when walking; and aneurysms.

• Other consequences can include stroke, which invariably causes brain damage; TIAs, also called mini-strokes, vascular dementia due to degeneration of blood vessels in the brain and a lesser form of dementia known as “Mild Cognitive Impairment” (MCI), an intermediate level in between what would be regarded as normal and dementia. Only specialist diagnosis can hope to differentiate between MCI and the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, it can be regarded as an early warning to take remedial measures. Brain damage caused by degeneration of the brain’s vascular system is not reversible but its progress can be slowed significantly by early, appropriate treatment.

• Women who suffer from the symptoms of high blood pressure are on the rise as well. Women might notice the initial warning signs if taking birth control medications Pregnancy is also a common time at which raised blood pressure might occur. Women in the post-menopausal category are frequently susceptible to hypertension. Certainly, the use of HRT in the latter category of women has been credited with reducing cardiac and hypertension risks, although other risks may be increased by the HRT and physicians will explain these and discuss achieving a satisfactory balance before prescribing.

As pre-emptive prevention and health monitoring (such as Well Man and Well Woman Clinics) and treatment develop, so people will live to an older age and treatment is available [regulate hypertension for men and women suffering from high blood pressure.

A significant part of the solution is regular blood pressure check-ups, as early diagnosis will enable reducing the potential damaging effects of hypertension and if in time before significant damage has taken place. A basic and inexpensive way of keeping this aspect of your health under control is by buying your own home blood pressure monitor. These days, you can acquire your own automatic digital blood pressure monitor,which are affordable for almost everyone, are accurate and easy to operate. To make a bold but honest statement: the use of a home blood pressure monitor is a total “no-brainer” having regard to the possible consequences of the alternative if you neglect to care for your health.

Conclusion - it can help to prevent high blood pressure issues. Look out for low pressure too, as this too can cause problems, discussion of which we’ll save for another day! Meanwhile, a home blood pressure monitor is going to help you avoid problems creeping up on you when you’re not looking!