High blood pressure doesn’t wait—Doctor explains how ignoring it can lead to heart failure

People often call high blood pressure, or hypertension, the silent killer because it doesn't usually show any signs until it's too late. But if you don't get it treated it can slowly hurt the heart, blood vessels and other important organs. Over time, uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to heart failure which is a serious condition in which the heart can't pump blood well because it is too weak or too stiff. To stay healthy and avoid heart failure it's important to know how ignoring blood pressure can lead to it, explains Dr. Surendra Nath Khanna, Chairperson, Adult Cardiac Surgery & Heart-Lung Transplant.

When you have high blood pressure the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries is always higher than normal. A normal blood pressure reading is usually between 120 and 80 mmHg. High blood pressure is when readings stay above 130/80 mmHg for a long time. People with uncontrolled hypertension have high blood pressure because they don't get treatment, don't manage it well and don't follow their medications and lifestyle changes correctly.

The heart is made to pump blood through blood vessels that can bend. The heart has to work harder to move blood through the body when blood pressure stays high for a long time. This extra stress causes a number of bad changes.

Left ventricular hypertrophy is a condition in which the heart's left ventricle which is the main pumping chamber, thickens because of constant pressure. At first, the thicker muscle may seem stronger, but over time it gets stiff and can't relax as much between beats. This makes it harder for blood to flow into the heart, which can eventually cause it to stop working.

High blood pressure hurts the inside of arteries making them narrower and less flexible. Atherosclerosis is a condition that slows down blood flow to the heart muscle and can lead to coronary artery disease. Less blood flow makes the heart weaker and raises the risk of heart attacks which makes heart failure even worse.

When the heart weakens it can't pump blood as well, which causes fluid to build up in the lungs, legs, and other parts of the body. This is a sign of heart failure, and it can make you feel short of breath, swollen and tired.

A lot of people with high blood pressure feel fine, so it's important to get regular checkups. But if high blood pressure stays high for a long time, it can cause heart failure. Breathlessness, especially when you're active or lying down, swelling in the legs, ankles, or abdomen, constant fatigue or weakness, a fast or irregular heartbeat, and sudden weight gain from fluid retention are all warning signs. If you notice these signs early, you can avoid serious problems.

You can avoid and control high blood pressure by following a few simple and regular habits. Even if you feel fine you should check your blood pressure at home or during regular checkups. To help keep your levels normal, eat a balanced diet that is low in salt and high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise like brisk walking five days a week. Stop smoking and drinking as both of these things raise blood pressure and hurt arteries.
The best way to keep your heart healthy is to keep your blood pressure in check. Making small changes every day and going to the doctor regularly can help you live longer and healthier.