How To Survive Effects Of Blood Pressure On Heart Attack?
How To Survive Effects Of Blood Pressure On Heart Attack?
- Does high bp cause heart attack?
- Damage to the arteries and atherosclerosis
- Strain on the heart
- Sudden and severe coronary events
- What are the values of blood pressure and when is it known as high blood pressure?
- Does low bp cause heart attack?
- The following conditions contribute to or cause risk of heart attack
- Are there any other effects of blood pressure on risk of heart attack
- Testing facilities in Tamil Nadu to detect genetic factors that may cause high blood pressure
Introduction
Hypertension is linked to 13% of all deaths all over the world. This essentially means that one out of ten deaths is due to blood pressure. It is well established that hypertension greatly increases the risk of various cardiovascular conditions. This includes heart attacks, heart failure, and strokes and the impact is due to various effects it cause on the body. Let’s look at the effects of blood pressure on heart health and the various options available in Tamil Nadu to detect risk of hypertension.
Does high bp cause heart attack?
Yes, high blood pressure contributes to high risk of heart attack. Two of the most renowned ogranisations – the World Health Organisation, and the American Heart Association support this finding. Hypertension is the leading cause of heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases. Listed below are some of the effects of blood pressure on heart disease.
Damage to the arteries and atherosclerosis
High blood pressure is known to bring about excessive force on the walls of arteries. This, in turn, causes damage to your arteries over a period of time, if left untreated. For instance, the inner lining of your arteries may be exposed to higher risk of buildup of fatty deposits. Atherosclerosis refers to the buildup of plaque. The damage caused to your arteries, can result in atherosclerosis, narrowing the arteries, and reducing the flow of blood to the heart.
Strain on the heart
As a result of high blood pressure, the workload on your heart increases. The heart ends up having to pump harder to efficiently circulate blood. This increase in workload causes thickening of the heart muscle, and this weakens your heart over a period of time. This affects the ability of the heart to pump blood as required. This condition may eventually result in heart failure.
Sudden and severe coronary events
The plaque formed in your arteries can rupture, and this results in formation of blood clots. When a blood clot fully blocks a coronary artery, the flow of blood to your heart muscle stops. This causes a heart attack, and is known as myocardial infarction.
These are the effects of blood pressure on your heart health and pose considerable risks of heart attack. The silver lining is that you can detect the possible risk of blood pressure and heart attack through genetic testing. If you are a resident of Tamil Nadu, avail of genetic testing facilities to quickly and conclusively detect any future risk of heart attacks.
What are the values of blood pressure and when is it known as high blood pressure?
There are different categories of blood pressure based on the values. This includes the following:
Normal
- Systolic – Lesser than 120 mm Hg
- Diastolic – Lesser than 80 mm Hg
Elevated
- Systolic – 120-129 mm Hg
- Diastolic – Lesser than 80 mm Hg
Stage 1 Hypertension
- Systolic – 130-139 mm Hg
- Diastolic – 80-89 mm Hg
Stage 2 Hypertension
- Systolic – 140 mm Hg or higher
- Diastolic – 90 mm Hg or higher
Hypertensive crisis
- Systolic – Higher than 180 mm Hg
- Diastolic – Higher than 120 mm Hg
Does low bp cause heart attack?
Not directly, but low blood pressure can be linked to risk of heart attack risk in some specific conditions. Lets look at the effects of blood pressure on heart health, in the context of low blood pressure. This is known as hypotension and the values that are considered as low blood pressure are:
- Systolic – Lesser than 90 mm Hg
- Diastolic – Lesser than 60 mm Hg
The following conditions contribute to or cause risk of heart attack
Lesser flow of blood to the heart
Known as coronary perfusion, this is due to very low blood pressure. This reduces blood flow to the coronary arteries. This reduced blood supply can cause chest pain, known as angina or myocardial infarction, when oxygen does not reach the heart muscle for some time.
Existing health conditions
A person who is diagnosed with possible risk of heart conditions will be at higher risk, due to severe hypotension. Similarly, a person who suffers from cardiogenic shock or septic shock due to infection can end up with very low blood pressure levels. This can result in damage to the heart or heart attack.
Medicines and excessive treatment for high blood pressure
If you are hypertensive, you are likely to be on antihypertensive medications. Ensure that you do not treat the condition with excessive medications. This can reduce blood pressure levels, causing reduced blood flow to the coronary arteries, increasing risk of heart attack.
Similarly, if you are diuretics or medicines that lower blood pressure, you may be at risk of hypotension and possible heart attack.
Are there any other effects of blood pressure on risk of heart attack
Yes, there are a few indirect effects of blood pressure and risks of heart attack. For example, severe dehydration can cause hypotension and bring down blood volume. This may affect heart function negatively, and increase risk of possible heart conditions.
Similarly, blood loss that is severe and high from injury or surgery can result in hypotension. This can reduce delivery of oxygen to the heart muscle, increasing risk of heart conditions.
Testing facilities in Tamil Nadu to detect genetic factors that may cause high blood pressure
Advanced testing facilities are presently available in Tamil Nadu to help detect if you are genetically predisposed to developing high blood pressure. For example, there are specific genetic variants that are linked to an increased risk of developing high blood pressure.
This affects the manner in which your body regulates blood pressure through the kidneys, blood vessels, hormones, and the sympathetic nervous system. Genetic testing can help identify various genetic markers that are linked to hypertension. Variants in the genes AGT, ACE, and CYP11B2 are associated with blood pressure regulation, and by detecting this, it is possible to understand your risk of hypertension.
Polygenic Risk Scores, abbreviated as PRS can clearly indicate if you have a higher or lower probability of developing hypertension. When viewed along with other diagnostic tests, it is possible to detect your risk of blood pressure, and further risks of heart attacks.
Medically Reviewed by
Dr.Rajasekar Cardiologist
Dr. Rajasekar is a cardiologist in Chennai, with extensive experience in the field. He completed his MBBS from Madurai Kamaraj University, followed by an MD in General Medicine and a DM in Cardiology from The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University (TNMGRMU).
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Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) from the University of Delhi Experience : Dr. Srinivasan is an experienced pharmacist with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Delhi and over 12 years in the field. She has worked extensively in clinical and community pharmacy settings, focusing on patient care, medication management, and drug safety. Dr. Srinivasan also contributes to health and wellness publications and serves as a consultant for pharmaceutical companies and healthcare organizations. Her expertise spans clinical practice, pharmaceutical writing, and regulatory affairs.