Blood Pressure
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73. High BP is harmful to the body because it causes the heart to work harder than normal, leaving both the heart and the arteries more prone to injury. Three consecutive readings of 140/90 or above within a week to 3 weeks generally indicate high BP. Both systolic and diastolic readings are equally important and elevated reading of either has an identical threat to life. However, some doctors now regard systolic pressure reading of 100+ age of the patient as acceptable and may not treat a 70 year old whose systolic pressure is 170. Others say that all persons, including elderly, should have normal BP of 120/80. Elderly people with high BP may be more likely to develop thinking and learning problems that can lead to dementia.
74. According to research, the risk of dying from heart attack is directly linked to BP. The higher your BP, the higher the risk. On average, people with high BP are upto 7 times more likely to have a stroke, upto 4 times more likely to have a heart attack and upto 3 times more likely to die of congestive heart failure than people with normal BP.
75. The relationship between BP and disease continues through life. Of course, the vascular damage by hypertension takes years to accrue, and heart attacks, strokes and kidney failures become much more common with advancing age. A Chicago Heart Association study showed that even mildly elevated readings of BP in early life contributes to an increased risk of illness and shorter lifespan later! One or more of the following complications can occur in people suffering from hypertension.
Angina
76. The blood supply to the heart is brought to it by the coronary arteries. If the BP is higher than normal over many years, as in untreated hypertension, the blood vessels become damaged. The lining of the arteries can become roughened and thickened and this eventually causes them to narrow and become less flexible or elastic than previously. This is called arteriosclerosis. In this case of narrowed arteries, sufficient blood does not get to the heart muscle efficiently. So when the heart needs to work a little harder; e.g. when you are walking up a hill, the heart muscle can not get the blood supply and oxygen that it needs. This causes pain in the chest, known as “angina” or “myocardial ischaemia”.
Heart Attack
77. If a coronary artery narrows due to high BP and then a blood clot forms, the part of the heart muscle that relies on that coronary artery dies. This is known as “heart attack” or “coronary thrombosis” or “myocardial infraction”.
