6 Health Consequences of High Blood Pressure

July 2nd, 2017 by Loretta Lanphier, NP, BCTN, CN, CH, HHP

6 Health Consequences of High Blood Pressure

Did you know that the consequences of high blood pressure can impact other areas of health, like your vision and even your sex life? In the United States, one out of every three adults has high blood pressure, with only 54% having it under control. This 54% statistic is based on higher-than-ideal blood pressure ranges, which means most adults today suffer chronic hypertensive damage to their tissues. And over 25% of US adults have metabolic syndrome, including hypertension as one of its defining features. The life expectancy of a 50-year-old smoker with high blood pressure and high cholesterol is estimated to be 24 years, while a 50-year-old with none of the risk factors could expect to live nine additional years, to age 83. According to the CDC, High blood pressure costs the nation about $131 to $198 billion each year. This total includes the cost of health care services, medications to treat high blood pressure, and loss of productivity from premature death.

RELATED: High Blood Pressure – What You Need to Know

6 Health Consequences of High Blood Pressure

1. Stroke

High blood pressure damages arteries that can burst or clog more easily. High blood pressure increases your stroke risk by four to six times, and 77% of people who experience a first stroke have high blood pressure.

2. Vision

High blood pressure can strain the vessels in the eyes.

3. Heart Attack

High blood pressure damages arteries that can become blocked. Of people who have a first heart attack, 69% have high blood pressure.

4. Heart Failure

High blood pressure can cause the heart to enlarge and fail to supply blood to the body. Of people with congestive heart failure, 75% have high blood pressure.

5. Kidney Disease

High blood pressure can cause arteries around the kidneys to narrow, weaken, or harden, so not enough blood is delivered to the kidneys. Eventually, the kidneys lose their ability to filter blood. High blood pressure is the second leading cause of kidney failure.

6. Erectile Dysfunction

High blood pressure leads to erectile dysfunction because of reduced blood flow throughout the body.

Natural Ways to Support Healthy Blood Pressure calcium and magnesium banner

  • Eat a plant-based diet rich in organic fruits and vegetables.
  • Consume healthy fats.
  • Do some form of exercise every day. Walking or rebounding is recommended.
  • Drink lots of filtered water.
  • Avoid high sodium foods.
  • Avoid fast food and prepackaged food.
  • Eliminate gluten.
  • Get daily sunshine on your body.
  • Avoid refined sugar.
  • Avoid BPA (Bisphenol A) found in plastics and liners of cans.
  • Include an excellent calcium-magnesium supplement.
  • Learn how to conquer stress naturally.
  • Perform a chemical and heavy metal cleanse.
  • Get your Vitamin D3 levels checked. Supplement with a certified organic D3 according to lab results.
  • Take a good Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplement (Kaneka Ubiquinol™ is the most active form)
  • Treat sleep apnea.
  • Scientific evidence shows that olive leaf extract provides ACE inhibition, while celery seed extract offers calcium channel blocking effects. However, if you are currently taking prescription medication for high blood pressure, consult your healthcare practitioner before adding olive leaf extract and celery seed extract.

RELATED: 15 Healthy Foods that Support Artery Health

Research and Resources

  • http://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/facts.htm. Accessed July 2, 2017.
  • http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6135a3.htm.Accessed July 2, 2017.
  • Freitag MH, Vasan RS. What is normal blood pressure? Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens. 2003 May;12(3):285-92.
  • Soriquer F, Rojo-Martínez G, Dobarganes MC, et al. Hypertension is related to the degradation of dietary frying oils. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Dec;78(6):1092-97.
  • Babio N, Bulló M, Salas-Salvadó J. Mediterranean diet and metabolic syndrome: the evidence. Public Health Nutr. 2009 Sep;12(9A):1607-17.
  • Falkner B, Cossrow ND. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and obesity-associated hypertension in the racial ethnic minorities of the United States. Curr Hypertens Rep. 2014 Jul;16(7):449.
  • Perrinjaquet-Moccetti T, Busjahn A, Schmidlin C, Schmidt A, Bradl B, Aydogan C. Food supplementation with an olive (Olea europaea L.) leaf extract reduces blood pressure in borderline hypertensive monozygotic twins. Phytother Res. 2008 Sep;22(9):1239-42.
  • Madhavi D, Kagan D, Rao V, Murray MT. A pilot study to evaluate the antihypertensive effect of a celery extract in mild to moderate hypertensive patients. Nat Med J. 2013;4(4):1-3.
  • Susalit E, Agus N, Effendi I, et al. Olive (Olea europaea) leaf extract effective in patients with stage-1 hypertension: comparison with Captopril. Phytomedicine. 2011 Feb 15;18(4):251-8.
  • Khayyal MT, el-Ghazaly MA, Abdallah DM, Nassar NN, Okpanyi SN, Kreuter MH. Blood pressure lowering effect of an olive leaf extract (Olea europaea) in L-NAME induced hypertension in rats. Arzneimittelforschung. 2002;52(11):797-802.
  • Poudyal H, Campbell F, Brown L. Olive leaf extract attenuates cardiac, hepatic, and metabolic changes in high carbohydrate-, high fat-fed rats. J Nutr. 2010 May;140(5):946-53.
  • Powanda MC, Rainsford KD. A toxicological investigation of a celery seed extract having anti-inflammatory activity. Inflammopharmacology. 2011 Aug;19(4):227-33.
Loretta Lanphier is a Naturopath Practitioner, Board Certified Traditional Naturopath, Certified Clinical Nutritionist, Holistic Health Practitioner, and Certified Clinical Herbalist as well as the CEO / Founder of Oasis Advanced Wellness in The Woodlands TX. She has studied and performed extensive research in health science, natural hormone balancing, anti-aging techniques, nutrition, natural medicine, weight loss, herbal remedies, non-toxic cancer support. She is actively involved in researching new natural health protocols and products. A 21-year stage 3 colon cancer survivor, Loretta can relate to both-sides-of-the-health-coin as patient and practitioner regarding health and wellness. “My passion is counseling others about what it takes to keep the whole body healthy using natural and non-toxic methods.” Read Loretta’s health testimony Cancer: The Path to Healing. Loretta is a Contributor and Editor of the worldwide E-newsletter Advanced Health & Wellness. Check out Oasis Advanced Wellness and our natural skincare products Purely Ageless Skincare.
†Results may vary. Information and statements made are for education purposes and are not intended to replace the advice of your doctor. Oasis Advanced Wellness/OAWHealth does not dispense medical advice, prescribe, or diagnose illness. The views and nutritional advice expressed by Oasis Advanced Wellness/OAWHealth are not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service. If you have a severe medical condition or health concern, see your physician of choice.

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