Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a condition where the force of blood against your artery walls is consistently high.
A chronic and serious condition, High BP can be controlled through medicine and lifestyle changes, and following the doctor’s advice.
However, if left untreated, High Blood Pressure can severely affect your heart and can even result in a stroke.
Hypertension is also known as the “silent killer” since it does not cause any obvious symptoms, and can go undetected for years.
Here are 5 ways high BP affects the heart….
1. Thickening and enlargement of heart muscle
When blood pressure is consistently high, the heart has to pump harder to push blood through narrowed or stiff arteries. This extra work causes the heart’s main pumping chamber, the left ventricle, to thicken and enlarge—a condition called left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). This thickening actually makes the heart stiffer and less efficient, weakening it over time. The thickened walls reduce the heart’s ability to fill properly with blood and pump it out effectively. Over time, LVH increases the risk of heart failure, irregular heartbeats, and even sudden cardiac death.
2. Increased risk of heart attack
High blood pressure damages the inner lining of arteries, causing tiny tears from time to time. The body does try to repair these tears, but cholesterol and other fatty substances can build up at these damaged sites, forming plaques. This process, called atherosclerosis, narrows the arteries and reduces blood flow to the heart muscle. If a plaque ruptures, it can completely block blood flow, causing a heart attack, which can be fatal.
3. Heart failure due to overwork
Because high blood pressure makes the heart work harder, the heart muscle can become weak, and unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. This condition is called Congestive Heart Failure. It can cause symptoms like fatigue, shortness of breath, and swelling in the legs. However, even though heart failure sounds debilitating, it is a medical term for a weak heart, (and not for a heart that has stopped working altogether) and is used as an umbrella term for anyone who has a heart condition. Managing blood pressure well can greatly reduce the risk of heart failure.
4. Damage to heart valves and rhythm problems
High blood pressure can also affect the heart valves, which control blood flow through the heart chambers. The extra strain on the heart can cause valve thickening or dysfunction, leading to heart valve disease. Moreover, the changes in heart muscle and structure caused by hypertension can lead to abnormal heart rhythms, such as atrial fibrillation. These rhythm problems increase the risk of stroke and other complications in the long run.
5. Narrowing and hardening of arteries (Atherosclerosis)
High blood pressure causes the walls of blood vessels to thicken and become less elastic. This stiffening makes it harder for blood to flow freely, and puts pressure inside the arteries. Over time, this damage leads to atherosclerosis, where plaques build up inside the arteries. Narrow arteries reduce oxygen-rich blood flow to the heart and other organs, increasing the risk of chest pain (angina), heart attack, and stroke.
