Harms of Hypertension to the Body
HYPERTENSION AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE EYE - 2
Prof. Dr. H. Kadircan Keskinbora
Harms of Hypertension to the Body
Hypertension affects the heart and vessels in patients, causing problems that can lead to death. High blood pressure increases the workload of the heart. The heart muscle initially grows (hypertrophy) in order to meet this increased workload. However, the enlarged heart leaves itself after a while and expands (dilatation). The heart can no longer contract as strongly as before, so symptoms of heart failure begin to appear. The growth of the heart muscle increases the heart's oxygen requirement
On the other hand, the coronary vessels of the heart cannot respond to this increased oxygen demand. If arteriosclerotic (arteriosclerosis) changes have developed in the coronary vessels due to high blood pressure, as a result, coronary blood circulation is severely impaired and ischemic (oxygen deficiency) symptoms occur in the heart. Symptoms such as shortness of breath, angina pectoris (chest pain), palpitations, and cough are symptoms that indicate heart failure and ischemia.
When arteriolosclerotic (arteriosclerosis in small vessels) vascular changes develop in the kidney vessels due to high blood pressure, the kidneys cannot receive enough blood. As a result, the blood filtration process, which is the function of these organs, is disrupted. This causes blood pressure to rise
Some protein and red blood cells are found in the urine of patients. In advanced cases, symptoms of kidney failure occur. Symptoms such as nosebleeds, excessive sweating, drinking too much water, excessive urination, and fatigue are other symptoms that occur depending on the cause of high blood pressure.
Conditions and Diseases That May Cause Hypertension
Various diseases and some special conditions other than diseases cause blood pressure to rise. While some of these cause only systolic blood pressure to rise, some cause both systolic and diastolic blood pressure to rise.
Hypertension may occur due to disorders in the hormone called angiotensin or the adrenal gland, some kidney diseases, nervous system, cardiovascular diseases, pregnancy and hormone imbalances. Birth control pill use can also sometimes cause hypertension.
Hypertension Symptoms and Possible Consequences:
The symptoms of hypertension arise from the vessels and organs damaged by high blood pressure. Hypertension especially affects the heart, brain, vessels in the retina of the eye and kidneys. Various symptoms of high blood pressure appear as impaired functions of these organs. However, once these symptoms appear, diagnosis of hypertension takes a certain amount of time.
We can give the symptoms and characteristics that occur when it affects the brain as follows: When patients wake up in the morning, they feel a headache, especially in the back (occipital) side of the head. This headache fades away towards the middle of the day. But “morning headache” in the occipital region is not the rule. Headache can occur at any time of the day and in any area of the head. Patients also complain of dizziness. This symptom occurs quite frequently. Another symptom is tinnitus.
Brain hemorrhages, strokes, memory disorders, and personality changes are among the symptoms or consequences of high blood pressure that manifest itself through the brain.