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Why High Blood Pressure Is Known As "the Silent Killer"
Prev NextHigh blood pressure is known as the silent killer.
Most of us have heard the dangers of high blood pressure, but are you at risk?
"It's called the silent killer. We don't necessarily know that we have symptoms," said Dr. Daniel Meltzer, Executive Medical Director for Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah.
Meltzer said high blood pressure is something we should all be watching out for.
"It's so important to see your primary care provider and get it checked on a regular basis."
Some people tend to think high blood pressure is something for older adults to be concerned about, but that's not necessarily the case.
Meltzer said, "High blood pressure definitely does tend to increase its prevalence we call it as we get older – typically over 60. More common in men as well. But it's not just an older person problem, it's actually an emerging public health issue in younger generations."
In Utah, we have the lowest hypertension rates in the country. But still 30-percent of men underage 50 have been diagnosed with high blood pressure.
"Even kids can have high blood pressure due to some congenital or inherited illnesses," said Meltzer. "So it's not just an older person's disease, in fact, it's becoming more common in people under 50 and under 30, as well."
This is why knowing your numbers is so important. But what should they be?
"A normal blood pressure we like to see is 120 on the top or the systolic and 80 or lower or diastolic on the bottom. When you get over 130 over 90 we start to get concerned," said Meltzer.
Untreated hypertension can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and vision loss.
Certain people are more at risk, for factors beyond their control. But there are some contributing factors you can change.
"Not getting enough physical activity. Poor dietary choices including high salt or high fat intake. Being overweight or obese also raises your risk," said Meltzer.
Meltzer said excessive drinking and smoking along with lack of sleep can also lead to a higher risk of hypertension, along with chronic stress.
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Can High Blood Pressure Cause Dizziness?
High blood pressure may cause no symptoms. However, some people experience dizziness and other issues.
Dizziness involves a sensation of spinning, lightheadedness, and unsteadiness. Individuals may feel as though they may faint, lose their balance, or fall. It is not a specific medical diagnosis in itself but rather a symptom that can result from various underlying causes, including high blood pressure.
High blood pressure, which is known as hypertension, means there is an elevated force of the blood against the walls of arteries that exceeds typical ranges. This increased force can pose health risks.
This article looks at the relationship between dizziness and high blood pressure. It also discusses when to consult a doctor and how to manage the condition.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, can cause dizziness. A recent study of 2,002 participants with high blood pressure looked at the various symptoms of people reporting to the emergency room. In those with high systolic blood pressure of 180 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or more, almost 16% reported dizziness.
Blood pressure measurements are in mm Hg. The top number, systolic, refers to the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats, while the lower number, diastolic, indicates the pressure as the heart rests between beats.
Learn more about high blood pressure.
Anyone experiencing sudden dizziness, severe headache, chest pain, shortness of breath, or visual issues should call 911 for emergency medical treatment. They may be experiencing a hypertensive crisis.
A hypertensive crisis is a sudden, significant increase in blood pressure that can lead to a heart attack, stroke, or other life threatening problems.
High blood pressure can cause dizziness by narrowing and damaging blood vessels. According to an older source, this can compromise the blood supply to the inner ear, a vital component of the body's balance control system. As a result, a person may experience a sense of unsteadiness or lightheadedness.
Furthermore, some blood pressure medications may cause dizziness as a side effect, either due to rapid blood pressure lowering or other effects on the body.
It is also important to note that high blood pressure is a significant risk factor for stroke. A stroke can affect the brain's balance control, resulting in dizziness. Anyone with sudden dizziness or loss of balance and coordination should seek urgent medical attention.
Doctors diagnose high blood pressure by taking blood pressure measurements with a device known as a sphygmomanometer. It comprises an inflatable cuff, a pressure gauge, and a stethoscope.
The doctor wraps the cuff around the person's upper arm and inflates it, temporarily stopping blood flow through the brachial artery. They then release the pressure in the cuff while listening to the sound of blood with the stethoscope as it flows through the artery. This provides the measurements of systolic and diastolic blood pressure:
The categories of blood pressure include:
Healthcare professionals may perform multiple blood pressure measurements over separate visits to establish an accurate diagnosis.
Learn more about blood pressure readings.
Long-term management of high blood pressure is essential to prevent complications. People should monitor their blood pressure regularly, adhere to prescribed medications, and commit to a heart-healthy lifestyle to help ensure they can control their hypertension effectively.
They also need to educate themselves about high blood pressure and appropriate management and stay informed about the latest guidelines and research.
Preventing high blood pressure involves adopting a similar heart-healthy lifestyle that doctors recommend to treat the condition. This includes:
Regular checkup appointments with a healthcare professional are also critical for prevention. Many people are unaware they have high blood pressure until a doctor detects it during a healthcare appointment. Regular monitoring allows people to identify elevated blood pressure early and implement preventive strategies.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, often causes no symptoms. However, a few people may experience dizziness, among other symptoms.
Increased blood pressure damages blood vessels, including those in the ear. The inner ear helps maintain balance, and when hypertension affects the blood vessels, it can lead to episodes of dizziness. Furthermore, hypertension is a known risk factor for stroke, which can disrupt the brain's control of balance.
Effective high blood pressure management involves regular monitoring, strict adherence to prescribed medications, and a commitment to a heart-healthy lifestyle.
High Blood Pressure For Millions Of Americans Could Be Helped By New One-time Procedure
New way to control high blood pressureHigh blood pressure can be controlled using a new method at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta. It may be able to replace medications.
ATLANTA - At 69, Paul Griffin of Newnan has been living with high blood pressure for about 25 years.
Diagnosed in his early 40s, Griffin's doctor put him on a drug that, he says, caused some negative side effects.
So, we added a second medicine," he says. "Then, the second medicine became three."
Soon, Griffin was juggling four blood pressure drugs, which gave him better control, but his numbers were still too high, leaving him at risk of having a stroke or heart attack.
Penny and Paul Griffin at home in Newnan, Georgia. In 2022, Paul Griffin underwent a renal denervation procedure to lower his blood pressure as part of a clinical trial at the Piedmont Heart Institute in Atlanta. (FOX 5 Atlanta)
What is renal denervation?Then, a couple of years ago on Facebook, Griffin read about a study at the Piedmont Heart Institute of a new one-time procedure that might finally lower his blood pressure.
"I thought, if I could get rid of the expense, the aggravation of having to take drugs every day, if I could get rid of it, I should at least look into it," he says.
Dr. David Kandzari, chief of the Piedmont Heart Institute in Atlanta, was the lead principal investigator of the trial evaluating Medtronic's Symplicity Spyral™ renal denervation system, which was granted FDA approval in November 2023.
Dr. David Kandzari, Chief of the Piedmont Heart Institute, performs a renal denervation procedure at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta.
"The ideal candidates are individuals who remain with persistent, uncontrolled high blood pressure despite attempts for lifestyle interventions, such as reducing salt intake, exercise, weight loss, cessation of smoking," Kandzari says.
That includes people, like Griffin, who are on blood pressure-lowering medication, but whose blood pressure is still consistently at 150/90 or above.
Dr. Kandzari performed the first renal denervation procedure in the U.S. In late November, about 10 days after the FDA cleared the device to treat high blood pressure.
Dr. David Kandzari, Chief of the Piedmont Heart Institute, performs a renal denervation procedure at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta. (Piedmont Healthcare )
How does renal denervation work?The hospital recorded a video to show how the one-hour procedure works.
In a cath lab, with the patient sedated, Dr. Kandzari focuses on overactive nerves around the exterior of the patient's renal arteries, which, he says, are signaling to the heart and brain to increase blood pressure."We insert a catheter up to the level of the kidney arteries," Kandzari says.
There, Dr. Kandzari delivers radio frequency energy to heat up and ablate the overactive nerves.
"This energy does not traumatize the kidney, the wall of the kidney artery or the blood vessel itself," Kandzari explains. "But it does disrupt or ablate the nerves that circumferential spiral around the exterior of the kidney artery. And, again, by interrupting that telegraph system between the kidneys and the central nervous system, quite meaningful blood pressures can be achieved."
Does renal denervation work?Griffin had his renal denervation at Piedmont Atlanta April 14, 2022, as part of the clinical trial.
"There was no pain associated with it," he says. "And, I had positive results almost immediately after the procedure was done.
The study required him to stay on his blood pressure medication for at least 6 months, but, Griffin says, his numbers began to steadily drop.
Just over 20 months later, Griffin is down from taking four blood pressure medications to taking one, and his blood pressure is averaging 118/81, ideal for his age.
He is hopeful his cardiologist will be able to wean him off the one pill he is still taking over the next few months.
"If I can get back into a normal range, where I don't have to take medication, that would be awesome," Griffin says.
There were questions about whether the ablated nerves could grow back, causing blood pressure to rise again.
So far, Kandzari says, that has not happened.
How long does renal denervation last?The blood pressure-lowering effect of renal denervation in this study lasted up to 3 years.
Other countries in Europe and Asia, he says, now routinely use renal denervation to treat high blood pressure in patient who have not responded to medication or lifestyle changes.
"And, importantly, even modest reductions in blood pressure translate into quite meaningful, relevant reductions in events that include heart failure, end stage kidney disease, stroke, heart attack and death itself," Kandzari says.
As a paramedic years ago in Macon, Paul Griffin says he met many stroke patients and saw how they struggled.
Griffin says he used to worry that, with his high blood pressure, he would one day have a stroke, too, but not anymore.
"That is not in the back of my mind right now," Griffin says. "That doesn't haunt me like it used to."
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