HYPERTENSION - COMPLICATIONS

Over time, high pressures lead to hardening and narrowing of the arteries, known as atherosclerosis. When this happens in various organs of the body, the following can result:

• Coronary Heart Disease – ischaemic heart disease and heart attacks

• Heart Failure – from over-taxing of the heart, having to pump constantly against high pressures

• Stroke

• Kidney Failure

• Peripheral Artery Disease – causing ischaemic pain on walking

It is therefore important to diagnose and treat hypertension, with the view of normalizing pressures, in order to prevent these end-organ complications.