Does hypertension affect kidney and heart health? Know causes, symptoms and more

The force of blood pressing against blood vessel walls when your heart pumps blood is known as blood pressure. An increase in the force that blood exerts on blood vessels during its passage through the body is referred to as high blood pressure or hypertension. High BP can damage the kidneys in several ways including NARROWING BLOOD VESSELS - It con constrict and narrow blood vessels in the kidneys, reducing blood flow and making it difficult for the kidneys to function properly DAMAGING FILTERING UNITS - It can harm the tiny blood vessels in the kidneys responsible for filtering blood. This can further increase blood pressure CREATING A CYCLE OF DAMAGE - The damage caused by high BP results in the body retaining excess salt and fluid which worsens the BP and thus creates a vicious cycle which can lead to kidney failure. Regular exercise Maintaining a healthy body weight Quit smoking Managing stress Healthy diet by avoiding extra salt Getting enough sleep Medications Angiotensin-converting enzyme Diuretics How Hypertension Affects Heart Health: Dr Lakshmi Navya, Consultant – Cardiology, Manipal Hospital, Vijayawada, shares insight Increased Workload on the Heart: Hypertension constantly raises the blood pressure level, thus putting pressure on the heart to pump blood through more resistance.