Complications of Untreated Hypertension
Untreated hypertension can lead to a plethora of serious health complications. Key issues include:
- Heart Disease: Chronic high blood pressure can cause the heart to work harder, leading to heart enlargement and failure.
- Stroke: Increased pressure can damage blood vessels in the brain, elevating the risk of stroke.
- Kidney Damage: Hypertension can harm blood vessels in the kidneys, impairing their function and potentially resulting in kidney failure.
- Vision Loss: High blood pressure can lead to hypertensive retinopathy, damaging the retina and possibly causing blindness.
- Aneurysms: Weakened blood vessels can lead to aneurysms, which may rupture and cause life-threatening internal bleeding.
- Peripheral Artery Disease: Hypertension can lead to narrowed arteries in the limbs, reducing blood flow and causing pain.
Therefore, managing hypertension is crucial to maintaining overall health and preventing these severe complications.