What happens if you leave hypertension untreated

When you have high blood pressure, your body tries to preserve the function of your organs. It can affect your blood vessels, eyes and hormone levels. Over the years, those changes are irreversible. If your doctor recommends some lifestyle changes to help lower your blood pressure, they are not short-term options. If your blood pressure improves, you have to continue to make good choices to keep it at a healthy level; otherwise, it will get worse again.

The same goes for medication. Some people start treatments on their own or think they can stop taking medication as soon as their blood pressure improves. Open pop-up dialog box High blood pressure complications Close. High blood pressure complications High blood pressure can cause many complications. Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again.

Show references Basile J, et al. Overview of hypertension in adults. Accessed Oct. Health threats from high blood pressure. American Heart Association. High blood pressure. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Hypertensive crisis: When you should call for high blood pressure. How high blood pressure can lead to vision loss. What is a TIA? American Stroke Association. Intensive blood pressure control might lessen cognitive loss. National Institutes of Health. See also Medication-free hypertension control 6 surprising signs you may have obstructive sleep apnea After a flood, are food and medicines safe to use?

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For most people, high blood pressure is found when they visit their health care provider or have it checked elsewhere. Because there are no symptoms, people can develop heart disease and kidney problems without knowing they have high blood pressure. Malignant hypertension is a dangerous form of very high blood pressure. Symptoms may include:. Diagnosing high blood pressure early can help prevent heart disease, stroke, eye problems, and chronic kidney disease. Your provider will measure your blood pressure many times before diagnosing you with high blood pressure.

It is normal for your blood pressure to be different based on the time of day. All adults over the age of 18 should have their blood pressure checked every year. More frequent measurements may be needed for those with a history of high blood pressure readings or those with risk factors for high blood pressure. Blood pressure readings taken at home may be a better measure of your current blood pressure than those taken at your provider's office.

Your provider will do a physical exam to look for signs of heart disease, damage to the eyes, and other changes in your body. The goal of treatment is to reduce your blood pressure so that you have a lower risk of health problems caused by high blood pressure. You and your provider should set a blood pressure goal for you. Whenever thinking about the best treatment for high blood pressure, you and your provider must consider other factors such as:. When thinking about the best treatment, you and your provider must consider:.

Your provider will most likely start you on medicines and recommend lifestyle changes. Before making a final diagnosis of either elevated blood pressure or high blood pressure, your provider should ask you to have your blood pressure measured at home, at your pharmacy, or somewhere else besides their office or a hospital.

You can also get a referral to a dietitian, who can help you plan a diet that is healthy for you. How low your blood pressure should be and at what level you need to start treatment is individualized, based on your age and any medical problems you have.

Most of the time, your provider will try lifestyle changes first, and check your blood pressure two or more times. Medicines will likely be started if your blood pressure readings remain at or above these levels:. If you have diabetes, heart problems, or a history of a stroke, medicines may be started at lower blood pressure reading. There are many different medicines to treat high blood pressure. Even if you have not been diagnosed with high blood pressure, it is important to have your blood pressure checked during your regular check-up, especially if someone in your family has or had high blood pressure.

But the truth is, that when left untreated, high blood pressure can put you at risk for potentially life-threatening complications. If you have any of these symptoms, call or visit the nearest hospital emergency department right away. The good news is that your doctor can identify high blood pressure with regular checks.

If found, it can be successfully treated using a combination of medication and heart-healthy lifestyle changes—or sometimes, lifestyle changes alone. Making small changes to your habits, such as eating a lower sodium diet, getting regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol intake, and quitting smoking can lower your blood pressure by mmHg or more.

And, if your doctor has prescribed blood pressure medication, it is important that you take it as directed. If you have uncontrolled high blood pressure or think you might be at risk, schedule an appointment with your primary care provider today. Portal provides patients across the central Pennsylvania region with secure access to their health information. It is the fastest way to send a message to your doctor, refill prescriptions, get test results, and schedule and manage appointments, including video visits.

When it comes to health care for you and your family, UPMC is here. It's easy to find the right doctor, health screenings and programs, classes and more.