Confused About the Link Between High Blood Pressure, Heart Disease, and Stroke? We’re Here to Explain

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If you have hypertension (high blood pressure), you're not alone. Nearly half of all adults in the U.S. have high blood pressure. Hypertension is often called the "silent killer." That's because it usually doesn't cause symptoms, and - left untreated - it can cause serious health problems or even death.

Getting treatment for high blood pressure can lower your risk of many conditions. They include heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and even dementia. And the good news is that there are many different medications, as well as lifestyle changes, that can help.

In this article, we'll tell you about the link between high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. We'll also review what blood pressure numbers are considered high, what symptoms to look out for, and what you can do to stay healthy.

How does hypertension lead to heart disease?

Hypertension can act on the heart in a few different ways. Each can lead to different types of heart disease.

Heart failure

When your blood pressure is high, it puts more strain on your heart. That's because the heart has to work harder to pump the blood through your arteries. If you lift weights, you know that the more strain you put on your muscles, the bigger and thicker they will get. It's the same with the heart. But when it comes to the heart, bigger and thicker is not better. Over time, an overstressed heart can develop congestive heart failure.

Atherosclerosis

High blood pressure can also harm the walls of your arteries. This damage makes it easier for fatty deposits to build up in your arteries. This is called atherosclerosis, and it puts you at risk for a heart attack.

Atrial fibrillation

Hypertension is also the leading risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AFib). This fast and irregular heart rhythm can make you feel dizzy and short of breath. It can also cause blood clots to form in the heart. Those clots are a major cause of stroke, which we'll discuss in the next section.

How does hypertension lead to stroke?

Hypertension is the leading cause of stroke. A stroke happens when blood flow to part of the brain is cut off. If it's not treated quickly, a stroke can cause permanent disability from weakness, inability to speak, blindness, or even impaired thinking.

Strokes are classified as either ischemic or hemorrhagic. Ischemic strokes happen when there's a blockage in a blood vessel. And hemorrhagic strokes are caused by bleeding in the brain. Ischemic strokes are the most common.

There are a few different ways that hypertension can lead to stroke. It can cause ischemic stroke by:

• Damaging the arteries that supply blood to the brain, which causes a blockage

• A blood clot caused by atrial fibrillation, which then travels to the brain and blocks an artery

Hypertension can also cause hemorrhagic stroke by weakening the walls of a blood vessel in or near the brain, called an aneurysm. This weakened area can bleed or rupture.

What is considered high blood pressure?

With all this information about the consequences of hypertension, you might be wondering how to define it. Let's start with the basics: Your blood pressure has two numbers. The top number is your systolic reading and the bottom number is your diastolic pressure. Both of these numbers are important for determining whether you have hypertension.

• Normal: systolic below 120 and diastolic below 80

• Elevated: systolic 120-129 and diastolic below 80

• High (hypertension): systolic above 130 or diastolic above 80

To get a diagnosis of hypertension, you usually need to have high blood pressure on at leastthree different days.

What level of high blood pressure can cause a stroke?

A hypertensive crisis is defined as a blood pressure over 180 systolic and/or 120 diastolic. When it causes symptoms, that's considered a hypertensive emergency. This can lead to a stroke.

But even blood pressure that's only mildly high can put you at risk for a stroke. That's because the damage to your blood vessels builds up over time.

It's important to get to an emergency room right away if you have any symptoms of stroke.

Symptoms that require immediate medical attention

The following symptoms can be a sign of a stroke. These require immediate medical attention. That's because if you're having a stroke, the sooner you get medical care, the less likely you are to suffer permanent harm.

• Sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body

• Drooping on one side of your face

• Sudden confusion

• Difficulty speaking

• Sudden loss of balance or coordination

• Severe unexplained headache

Even if your symptoms go away by themselves, it's important to get checked out. Those symptoms are sometimes known as "mini strokes", or transient ischemic attack (TIA). They can be a warning sign of a much larger stroke to come.

How can you prevent heart disease or stroke if you have hypertension?

Getting your blood pressure under control is the most important way to prevent heart disease or stroke. If your numbers are only mildly high, your healthcare professional may recommend lifestyle strategies. These include:

• A heart-healthy diet (like the DASH diet) that limits processed foods and salt

• Regular exercise

• Keeping your weight in a healthy zone

• Managing your stress as much as possible

• Limiting alcohol to no more than 1 drink per day

If your blood pressure remains high, then your doctor will prescribe medication(s) to help bring it down. These work best when combined with the lifestyle strategies listed above. Fortunately, there's a wide range of options, and most of these are generic. If you have concerns about side effects or cost, be sure to discuss them with your healthcare professional. Together, you can find a treatment plan that works for you.

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