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Uncontrolled blood pressure (hypertension) can lead to serious medical problems such as:

• Heart attack. The coronary arteries carry blood that delivers oxygen to the heart. If these vessels become blocked, a heart attack can occur.

• Enlarged heart. High blood pressure puts extra demand on the heart. Over time, the heart muscle enlarges to compensate for the extra work and, ultimately, weakens.

• Kidney damage. Over time, uncontrolled high blood pressure can result in narrowing of the arteries supplying the kidneys. High blood pressure also damages the kidneys directly and may lead to kidney failure. Kidney damage, in turn, raises blood pressure even more.

• Stroke. Hypertension can result in narrowing of the arteries that supply the brain. If a blood clot forms and occludes a vessel, the subsequent lack of oxygen to the brain can cause a stroke. High blood pressure can also cause arteries in the brain to burst. The resulting bleeding into the brain produces a different kind of stroke.

• Atherosclerosis. High blood pressure causes the arteries to become hard and inelastic, a condition often referred to as "hardening of the arteries." This condition prevents blood from flowing through the body effectively and can lead to heart attack and stroke.

For  more  information  please  ask  your  physician  on  your  next  visit.