Loading...
While the impact of hypertension (or high blood pressure) on overall health is well-documented, the heart, our life-sustaining organ, bears the brunt of this silent assailant. Understanding how hypertension affects the heart is vital, as it sheds light on the intricate relationship between blood pressure and cardiovascular health.
At first glance, hypertension may seem like a numerical imbalance on a blood pressure monitor. However, beneath the surface, this condition sets off a cascade of adverse effects, significantly straining the heart and increasing the risk of debilitating heart diseases.
From structural alterations to functional impairments, the consequences of hypertension can be far-reaching, affecting both the immediate and long-term well-being of the heart.
It’s worth exploring the multifaceted ways hypertension wreaks havoc on the heart. Knowing more about cardiovascular complications that hypertension can create will motivate you to go for early detection and effective management.
Here are sixteen different ways hypertension can affect, impair or even seriously injure the heart.
High blood pressure causes the heart to pump against increased resistance. According to Mayo Clinic, this can lead to the thickening and enlargement of the left ventricle, the heart’s main pumping chamber. Over time, this condition, known as left ventricular hypertrophy, can impair the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively.
Hypertension is a significant risk factor for the development of coronary artery disease. According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), elevated pressure in the arteries can damage the inner lining, promoting the formation of fatty plaques which narrow the coronary arteries, reducing blood flow to the heart muscle and increasing the risk of heart attack or angina.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the constant strain of elevated blood pressure on the heart can weaken the heart muscle over time. This leads to heart failure when the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. High blood pressure is one of the most common causes of heart failure.
According to Francis G. Dunn MB, ChB, FACC, writing in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, hypertension increases the risk of myocardial infarction. If a fatty plaque ruptures or a blood clot forms in a narrowed coronary artery, it can block blood flow to a part of the heart, causing a heart attack.
According to Audrius Aidietis et al., writing in their medical paper in PubMed, high blood pressure can disrupt the normal electrical conduction in the heart, leading to arrhythmias. The irregular heart rhythms associated with hypertension may include atrial fibrillation, ventricular arrhythmias, or other disturbances in the heart’s electrical system.
Raised blood pressure levels can reduce the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle due to narrowed or blocked coronary arteries. According to Jindřich Špinar, writing in ScienceDirect, this can result in cardiac ischemia, characterized by inadequate blood flow to the heart. Prolonged or severe ischemia can lead to tissue damage or a heart attack.
Chronic hypertension can cause changes in the structure and function of the heart valves. According to Milad Nazarzadeh, MSc. et al., writing in their medical paper in the JAMA Network, the increased pressure can lead to valve thickening, narrowing (stenosis), or leakage (regurgitation), affecting the heart’s ability to pump efficiently.
According to Ralf P. Brandes, writing in the AHA Journals, hypertension can impair the function of the endothelium, the inner lining of blood vessels, leading to endothelial dysfunction. This dysfunction can contribute to the development of atherosclerosis (hardening and narrowing of the arteries) and reduce the ability of blood vessels to dilate and constrict properly.
Persistent blood pressure can reduce blood flow through the coronary arteries that supply oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle. According to Gerd Heusch, writing in Basic Research in Cardiology, this reduced blood flow can cause inadequate perfusion of the heart tissue, leading to ischemia, angina (chest pain), or myocardial infarction (heart attack).
According to Cleveland Clinic, hypertension can affect the relaxation of the heart during its filling phase, known as diastole. The increased pressure in the heart chambers can impair the ability of the heart muscle to relax and adequately fill with blood, leading to diastolic dysfunction.
According to Harry A.J. Struijker-Boudier et al., writing in the European Heart Journal, unattended hypertension can negatively impact the small blood vessels within the heart muscle, known as coronary microcirculation. This impairment can reduce blood flow to specific heart regions and contribute to myocardial ischemia and dysfunction.
According to Thomas D. Giles, MD. et al., writing in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension, a high blood pressure disorder can disrupt the regular relaxation of blood vessels (vasodilation). The increased pressure in the arteries can reduce the release of nitric oxide, a molecule that helps relax and widen blood vessels. This impaired vasodilation can further increase blood pressure and strain on the heart.
Chronic hypertension can lead to increased stiffness of the arteries, known as arterial stiffness. According to Young S. Oh, writing in Clinical Hypertension, stiffened arteries are less able to expand and contract, leading to increased resistance to blood flow, higher blood pressure, and increased risk of cardiovascular events.
According to Gian P. Bezante et al., writing in the American Journal of Hypertension, raised blood pressure levels can reduce the ability of the coronary arteries to dilate and increase blood flow when the heart requires more oxygen during periods of increased demand (such as exercise). This impaired coronary reserve can compromise the heart’s ability to receive adequate blood supply, leading to ischemia and chest pain.
Lingering or increasing blood pressure can affect the specialized electrical conduction system of the heart, which coordinates the rhythm and timing of heartbeats. According to the British Heart Foundation, elevated blood pressure can disrupt normal electrical signals, leading to heart conduction abnormalities. This can manifest as various heart rhythm disturbances, compromising the heart’s ability to maintain a regular and coordinated heartbeat
According to Arantxa Gonzálezet et al., writing in their medical paper in the AHA Journals, the heart undergoes structural changes known as cardiac remodeling in response to the increased workload and pressure. While remodeling is a normal adaptation process, it can become maladaptive in hypertension. Excessive remodeling can lead to further deterioration of heart function and increased susceptibility to heart failure.
If you have one or more chronic health illnesses such as obesity, cholesterol, diabetes, and hypertension (plus other hereditary factors), they can all have a multiplicative effect on the heart.
It’s critical to follow your doctor’s advice to reduce high cholesterol levels quickly, attend promptly to obesity and its side effects, and take measures to reduce high blood pressure and keep blood sugar levels under control.
Knowing how hurtful hypertension can be on the heart can be eye-opening. But it must lead to more than just understanding. It must lead to proactive action to speedily reduce hypertension with medicines, screenings, diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes. All this helps the heart that works so hard to keep you going with a complete and satisfying life. Stay heart-healthy. Be a Zinda Dil.
