Consequences of long-term high blood pressure
The consequences of high blood pressure hypertension are often underestimated. With Stroke, heart attack and sudden cardiac death, not only serious but even life-threatening complications can occur. However, it's not just the heart and brain that are affected. The blood vessels throughout the body suffer from constantly elevated pressure.
About 20 million people in Germany have high blood pressure. Among people over 55, one in two is affected by high blood pressure. Around 40 percent of all deaths in Germany are due to cardiovascular diseases. High blood pressure is one of the biggest risk factors for developing these conditions.
The problem with high blood pressure is that it usually causes no symptoms at first. Pain or noticeable signs only appear once damage has already occurred. The diagnosis is therefore often made by chance during a routine check-up. The doctor will advise the patient to change some aspects of their lifestyle, watch their diet and be more active. In some cases medication is prescribed right away. But for many people it's difficult to change habits or take pills as directed, since they don't feel any discomfort.
It's not only the directly life-threatening complications that can make life hard for someone with hypertension. The heart has to keep pumping against the higher pressure, which puts excessive strain on it and damages it. One possible consequence is atrial fibrillation. The arteries that carry the pressure can change, harden, narrow from atherosclerosis, or form dangerous bulges so-called aneurysms.
The kidneys are particularly involved, because they can be both a cause of high blood pressure and a victim of it. Damage to the kidney vessels can lead to kidney failure. High blood pressure plays a major role as a risk factor in the development of intermittent claudication, medically pAVK (peripheral arterial occlusive disease), which in late stages is often called "smoker's leg".
Articles in this category:
- Effects on blood vessels
- Consequences for the Heart
- High blood pressure and dementia
- High Blood Pressure and Vision
- High blood pressure and the kidneys
- Recognizing and Helping During a Heart Attack
- Atrial fibrillation
- Sudden cardiac death
- Recognizing and Helping with Stroke
- Intermittent claudication - PAD
- Hypertensive crisis and hypertensive emergency
- Erectile Dysfunction
This article comes from BloodPressureDB – the leading app since 2011 that helps hundreds of thousands monitor their blood pressure every day.
Our content is based on carefully researched, evidence-based data and is continuously updated (as of 01/2024).
Author Sabine Croci is a qualified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as in outpatient care, and has led BloodPressureDB's specialist editorial team since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as a paramedic, first responder and in various therapy and emergency areas, she provides solid, practical and reliably reviewed information.
Author Sabine Croci is a qualified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as in outpatient care, and has led BloodPressureDB's specialist editorial team since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as a paramedic, first responder and in various therapy and emergency areas, she provides solid, practical and reliably reviewed information.
Related articles:
- Atrial fibrillation
- Recognizing and Helping with Stroke
- Intermittent claudication - PAD
- Sudden cardiac death
- Hypertensive crisis and hypertensive emergency
- High blood pressure - Arterial hypertension
- Recognizing and Helping During a Heart Attack
- Consequences for the Heart
- Erectile Dysfunction
- High Blood Pressure and Vision
