Uncontrolled hypertension facts

Circulatory system and blood pressure

Circulatory system is also called cardiovascularsystem. It is comprised of the heart, blood vessels and blood. The heart hasthe role to pump the fresh oxygenated blood through the blood vessels to thecells and tissues throughout the body. The blood vessels form a vast network inthe body. The blood pressure is the pressure that the bloodexerts on the walls of the blood vessels. It is considered that the normalblood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg. The upper number in the reading is calledsystolic blood pressure, while the lower number refers to the diastolic bloodpressure.

Systolic blood pressure is the blood pressure thatthe blood exerts on the walls of the blood vessels when the heart beats, while diastolicblood pressure is the pressure when the heart is relaxed. Sometimes, it happens that the systolic bloodpressure is raised while diastolic blood pressure is normal. It is calledisolated systolic hypertension. When the systolic blood pressure is normal whilethe corresponding diastolic blood pressure is higher than normal, it is calledisolated diastolic hypertension.

The blood pressure can be high or low. Low bloodpressure is called hypotension, while high blood pressure is calledhypertension. When one has the blood pressure above 140/90 mm Hg,he/she suffers from high blood pressure or hypertension.

Causes of uncontrolled hypertension

Uncontrolled hypertension occurs when one does notnotice any symptoms of this disorder for a long period of time. Another reason for the occurrence of uncontrolledhypertension is the negligence and ignoring of hypertension once it isdiagnosed. Excessive consuming of alcohol may also lead to theuncontrolled hypertension. People who suffer from this condition may experience headaches, drowsiness and nausea. Furthermore, untreatedhypertension may also lead to the vision problems.

Complications of uncontrolled hypertension

It is very important to treat hypertension once thesymptoms are noticed in order to prevent serious complications that may arisefrom it, such as coronary artery disease, cardiovascular diseases, stroke andthe kidney problems.

The high blood pressure may damage the walls of thearteries and the fat and cholesterol may start to accumulate there. Over time,this can block the arteries and lead to the coronary artery disease. Furthermore,the blocked arteries cause the heart to work much harder and it can be weakenedover time. If the blood does not reach the heart in enough amounts due to someblockage, it may induce angina or heart attack. Moreover, if the brain does notreceive enough blood because of the narrowed blood vessels, a stroke may occur.