Complications of Unmanaged High Blood Pressure

Nearly 50% of all adults in the United States have high blood pressure. However, only 25% of those with the common chronic condition have it under control.

High blood pressure affects almost every organ in your body. When left unmanaged, it can lead to multiple complications. 

At East Side Primary Medical Care on New York City’s Upper East Side, our experienced primary care physician, Dr. Daniel Klein, checks blood pressure every time a patient comes in for a physical exam. We do this to diagnose high blood pressure during the early stages to help prevent complications.

In this month’s blog post, we want to talk about high blood pressure and the complications that occur when it’s left unmanaged.

About high blood pressure

Your blood pressure is a measurement that assesses the force of blood against the vessel walls when your heart beats (systolic or top number) and between beats (diastolic or bottom number). Your blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day and can sometimes run high.

However, you have high blood pressure, also called hypertension, when the force of blood against the blood vessel walls is consistently higher than normal. Unfortunately, you can’t feel your blood pressure when it gets too high. 

Over time, the excess pressure damages the blood vessels and organs, leading to health complications.

Health complications

Because high blood pressure is so common, many people think it’s not a big deal. However, high blood pressure leads to many health complications that are a big deal like:

• A heart attack
• Stroke
• Heart failure
• Kidney disease
• Vision changes
• Angina (chest pain during exercise)
• Peripheral artery disease (PAD)

When left unmanaged, the excess force causes the walls of your blood vessels to stiffen and narrow. This affects circulation and the delivery of oxygen-rich blood to your organs. The smaller blood vessels (in the eyes and kidneys) are usually affected first.

The narrowing and stiffening of your blood vessels also makes it harder for your heart to pump blood throughout the body, leading to heart problems.

Managing your high blood pressure

One of the best ways to prevent complications from high blood pressure is by coming in for your annual physical exam. At this comprehensive evaluation, we screen you for common chronic health conditions, including high blood pressure, and check for the complications it can cause. 

Early diagnosis and treatment of hypertension may prevent or delay these complications. 

How do we manage hypertension? First, we start with lifestyle changes. We suggest eating a balanced diet and getting regular exercise. If you use tobacco, we recommend quitting. Getting to and maintaining a healthy weight also helps lower blood pressure and reduces your risk of developing complications.

When lifestyle changes fail to improve your blood pressure readings, we prescribe medications. 

Preventative health care is the best health care. At East Side Primary Medical Care, your health is our top priority. If you have concerns about high blood pressure, we can help. We even offer concierge primary care so you get the extra support and attention you need to take charge of your health.

Call our office or book your appointment online with our skilled and attentive team so we can help you manage your blood pressure. We also offer telemedicine visits.