If your heart has to work harder with every beat, over time it will actually become larger and larger. it's just like working out at a gym. When you lift weights and do curls, your muscles bulk up, becoming larger and larger. When the heart has to work harder, it actually grows larger, too.
That may be great for your biceps, but it's really bad for your heart. When the size of your heart increase, it leads to left ventricular hypertrophy. Let me explain what this is. As your heart gets larger, it requires more blood to nourish it. But when you have high blood pressure, your heart doesn't get the increased supply of blood it needs because high blood pressure also causes the blood vessels to become narrowed. this reduces the supply of blood to the heart.
This is why high blood pressure places you at greater risk of experiencing a heart attack and sudden death. Also as he heart enlarges, it can become weaker since it doesn't have the strength to pump effectively against the elevated blood pressure. You may eventually develop congestive heart failure, in which the heart becomes so weak that fluid begins to accumulate in the legs and in the lungs.
Wreaking Havoc on Your Arteries
High blood pressure also damages the arteries. Healthy arteries are very flexible and elastic, but high blood pressure can lead to arteriosclerosis, which is hardening of the arteries. Here's how it works. With high blood pressure, the walls of the arteries become thick and stiff.
High blood pressure or hypertension also cause atheroselerosis. In atherosclerosis the inner wall of the artery is actually damaged, usually by high blood pressure. Platelets adhere to the site of injury, and fatty deposits begin to accumulate, they form plaque, which eventually hardens.
The buildup of plaque can decrease blood flow even more. If the affected blood vessel is in the heart, it can lead to a heart attack. If it is in the brain, it can lead to a stroke.
No comments:
Post a Comment