5 Complications of Unchecked High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure may be a “silent” condition without symptoms, but the damage it can do is nothing to ignore. Long-term, untreated hypertension is a major threat to your health because of how it damages your body and the complications that can result. 

Board-certified in internal medicine and cardiology, Jeffrey H. Graf, MD, is an expert in helping people manage high blood pressure at any age. At his practice on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York, Dr. Graf measures your blood pressure regularly to identify hypertension as early as possible. 

High blood pressure doesn’t just threaten your cardiovascular health. It can damage other organs and systems, too. Here are five common high blood pressure complications, some of which you may not be aware of.

1.  Kidney failure

Your two kidneys share the responsibility of filtering waste out of your bloodstream and excreting it through the ureters, bladder, and urethra as urine. High blood pressure can damage the arteries leading to your kidneys. 

With damaged blood vessels, your kidneys struggle to filter waste from your blood. When this happens, waste products can build up in your blood and overload the kidneys. 

When your kidneys can’t do their job properly for some time, it can lead to failure. If you have kidney failure, your only treatment options are dialysis (a way of artificially filtering your blood) or a kidney transplant. 

1.  Stroke

Stroke is one of a few complications that can happen when high blood pressure damages blood vessels in your brain. Strokes can happen if your brain’s blood supply is blocked or if there’s bleeding inside your brain. 

Hypertension can narrow your brain’s blood vessels or cause them to break and leak. It can also lead to blood clots that can get stuck and block your brain’s blood supply. 

A stroke can have lasting effects on your cognitive health that vary based on the part of your brain the stroke affects. Strokes can also be life-threatening. 

1.  Vision loss

The blood vessels in your eyes are tiny and delicate, so it’s no surprise that unchecked high blood pressure can damage them. Your vision can decline, become distorted, or go away entirely if your high blood pressure causes damage to the vessels supplying your optic nerve or retina.  

1.  Sexual dysfunction

Sexual dysfunction isn’t inherently life-threatening, but it can signal unchecked high blood pressure. You might experience:

Erectile dysfunction

Men with high blood pressure may not be able to get or maintain an erection because the hypertension has damaged penile blood vessels. 

Low sex drive

Women with high blood pressure may experience reduced vaginal blood flow, resulting in low sexual desire or vaginal dryness. 

1. Heart attack

Heart disease and heart problems are perhaps the most well-known complications of high blood pressure, including heart attacks. Heart attacks happen when blood stops flowing into your heart because of blockages. 

A heart attack is a health emergency that can stem from other heart problems caused by hypertension. You might have a heart attack after high blood pressure causes coronary artery disease or an enlarged left heart ventricle, for example.

Under the right care, you can manage your high blood pressure and avoid serious health complications. Jeffrey H. Graf, MD, is dedicated to monitoring your health and supporting your cardiovascular health. Schedule an appointment at his New York City office by phone or online today.