The Grave Consequences of Neglecting High Blood Pressure

The dangers of high blood pressure are always evident, and high blood pressure is like any other chronic illness. If you don't take care of it, it is going to take over your life and control it. It's going to give you problems later on, even if you don't think you're going to have any problems. It will definitely affect you. So, it is always essential that you keep taking your medication and follow up with your primary physician.

I recently had a patient, a 40-year-old man, who had been to the hospital two years prior. This time around, he came in with chest pain, headaches, dizziness, occasional nausea, and vomiting. He was found to have a systolic blood pressure of about 220 and a diastolic pressure around 110. This is pretty high. We started working on controlling his blood pressure. It gradually came down, and his symptoms resolved. However, his heart had weakened. He began developing fluid in his lungs and feet. He mentioned that this had been going on for the last few months, and it was gradually worsening. He would feel short of breath when climbing stairs or engaging in any activity requiring exertion.

As you can see, he was developing heart problems due to his uncontrolled hypertension. When asked why he did not take his medication or follow up with his primary physician or any physician, he said he felt he was okay. He didn't believe he had any problems. He found it bothersome to go to the pharmacy and take medication. He admitted to often forgetting to take any medication. Consequently, he gradually stopped taking any medication altogether for about a year.

This is what happens when your blood pressure remains high. It puts excessive strain on your heart, gradually leading to heart weakening. It might cause the heart muscle to enlarge, but it's not the same as exercise-induced enlargement. The heart tries to compensate for a while, but this compensation is not ultimately beneficial. It can lead to a condition called cardiomyopathy, which can be dangerous.

He was feeling much better after treatment, but the damage had been done. He realized that from now on, he had to be meticulous about his health. Not only that, but we also discovered that he was definitely borderline diabetic. All these factors combined put him at a high risk of heart problems. He used to smoke in the past, and although he had been trying to cut down, smoking can lead to not only lung diseases but also heart diseases.

In the end, he realized that he needed to be proactive about his health. He needed to be punctual, compliant with medications, and not take his health for granted. So, this serves as a reminder for anyone with high blood pressure: take care of your health before it takes control of you. Your doctor's goal is to prevent you from needing medication, but if you do need it, you must take it properly. My friends, stay healthy and stay safe. Thank you very much.