Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is called a “silent disease,” with few symptoms. But left untreated, hypertension can lead to heart disease in many forms, including hardening of the arteries, heart attack and stroke. Hypertension can also damage other organs, namely the kidneys.
The good news is that, for most patients, hypertension can be controlled through medications and lifestyle changes.
In the past five years the American Heart Association revised its hypertension guidelines, chiefly to emphasize that even slightly elevated blood pressure should be taken seriously due to the health risks it can raise.