Effects of high blood pressure
High blood pressure rarely has any symptoms and you may feel quite well. However, over time high blood pressure can cause an increase risk of major illnesses.
- STROKE A stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain becomes blocked or bursts. High blood pressure can cause damage to the blood vessels in the brain. This increases the risk of having a stroke and may be a contributory factor to dementia.
- HEART ATTACK A heart attack occurs when the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart become blocked. High blood pressure can cause damage to the blood vessels supplying the heart, increasing the risk of a heart attack.
- HEART FAILURE When you have high blood pressure, the heart has to work harder to pump blood around your body and may become enlarged. Eventually, the heart is less able to pump as well as well as it should and heart failure occurs. Heart failure does not mean that your heart stops working just that it is not working as well as it should. Heart failure causes fluid to build up in your body which may make it more difficult for you to breathe, or it may make your legs and ankles swollen. It can also cause you to have an irregular heart beat.
- KIDNEY FAILURE High blood pressure may cause damage to the blood vessels in the kidneys. The kidneys act as a filter to remove waste products from the body and help to remove excess fluid from the body. As the blood vessels in the kidney are damaged they become less effective at removing waste products and fluid from the body. Eventually the kidneys may fail altogether and dialysis may be needed.
- BLINDNESS High blood pressure may cause damage to small blood vessels in the back of the eye. This may lead to vision becoming impaired, or eventually, blindness.