Because hypertension is often a silent condition, it can cause damage to your body for years before symptoms become obvious. If hypertension isn’t treated, you may face serious, even fatal, complications.
Complications of hypertension include the following.
Damaged arteries
Healthy arteries are flexible and strong. Blood flows freely and unobstructed through healthy arteries and vessels.
Hypertension makes arteries tougher, tighter, and less elastic. This damage makes it easier for dietary fats to deposit in your arteries and restrict blood flow. This damage can lead to increased blood pressure, blockages, and, eventually, heart attack and stroke.
Damaged heart
Hypertension makes your heart work too hard. The increased pressure in your blood vessels forces your heart’s muscles to pump more frequently and with more force than a healthy heart should have to.
This may cause an enlarged heart. An enlarged heart increases your risk for the following:
- heart failure
- arrhythmias
- sudden cardiac death
- heart attack
Damaged brain
Your brain relies on a healthy supply of oxygen-rich blood to work properly. Untreated high blood pressure can reduce your brain’s supply of blood:
- Temporary blockages of blood flow to the brain are called transient ischemic attacks (TIAs).
- Significant blockages of blood flow cause brain cells to die. This is known as a stroke.
Uncontrolled hypertension may also affect your memory and ability to learn, recall, speak, and reason. Treating hypertension often doesn’t erase or reverse the effects of uncontrolled hypertension. But it does lower the risks for future problems.
Takeaway
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a very common health issue in the United States.
If you’ve recently been diagnosed with high blood pressure, your treatment plan will vary depending on factors. These include the severity of your high blood pressure, and what medication your doctor thinks will work best for you.
The good news is that in many cases of hypertension, lifestyle changes can be powerful tools for managing, or even reversing, your diagnosis. These changes include incorporating more nutritious fruits and vegetables into your diet, getting more physical activity, limiting your sodium intake, and limiting your alcohol consumption.
Because hypertension often presents with no symptoms, it’s important to get your blood pressure checked during your yearly physicals. Severe hypertension can cause serious health issues, so the sooner you have it diagnosed, the sooner it can be managed — and possibly even reversed!
Article by:
Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.
- DASH eating plan. (n.d.).
nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/dash-eating-plan - Essential hypertension. (n.d.).
bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-us/26/history-exam#riskFactors - Fruits and vegetables serving sizes infographic. (n.d.).
heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/add-color/fruits-and-vegetables-serving-sizes - Hegde S, et al. (2021). Secondary hypertension.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK544305/ - Health threats from high blood pressure
- High blood pressure. (2020).
cdc.gov/bloodpressure/index.htm - High blood pressure. (2020).
nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/high-blood-pressure - High blood pressure. (n.d.).
heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure - How much physical activity do adults need? (2020).
cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/index.htm - Losing weight. (2018).
cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/index.html - Preeclampsia and high blood pressure during pregnancy. (2020).
acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Preeclampsia-and-High-Blood-Pressure-During-Pregnancy - Tabassum N, et al. (2011). Role of natural herbs in the treatment of hypertension.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3210006/ - Wenger NK, et al. (2018). Hypertension across a woman’s life cycle.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6005390/
Photo by cottonbro: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-sphygmomanometer-on-white-surface-5721676/
Article by: High Blood Pressure (Hypertension): Symptoms and More (healthline.com)
Medically reviewed by Jenneh Rishe, RN — By Kimberly Holland — Updated on October 27, 2021