Silent killer is a term used to describe things that can be dangerous but go undetected for a long time or show no symptoms.
High Blood Pressure, also known as hypertension, can lead to serious health issues like heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure if left untreated. Because most people with high blood pressure don’t have symptoms, testing is the only way to know if you have it.
Medical professionals call high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, the silent killer because it can go undetected for a long period and lead to death. Left untreated, high blood pressure significantly increases the risk of having a heart attack, stroke, brain aneurysm, heart failure, kidney failure, clogged arteries creating blockages in the legs, and dementia. High blood pressure can also lead to sexual dysfunction and visual problems including blindness. (About 1 in 5 people with high blood pressure do not know they have the condition).
What is blood pressure?
The heart pumps blood through the arteries – the body’s major blood vessels – and that blood pushes against the artery walls. That pushing is blood pressure.
How do you know if blood pressure is high, low, or just right?
When blood pressure is measured, two factors are considered; the two numbers that make up a person’s blood pressure.
- The top number is the pressure against the arteries when the heart beats (also known as systolic pressure).
- The bottom number is the pressure against the arteries when the heart relaxes between beats ( also known as diastolic pressure).
When the top (systolic) number is greater than 130, a person has hypertension.
When the bottom (diastolic) number is greater than 80, a person has hypertension.
As people age, both blood pressure numbers tend to increase, due to increased stiffness in large vessels. Just a slight increase in either number significantly increases someone’s risk of death from heart disease or stroke.
The American Heart Association has five blood pressure ranges:
- Normal: Less than 120/80 mm Hg
- People in this range generally have heart-healthy diets and habits.
- Elevated: From 120 – 129 systolic and less than 80 mm Hg diastolic
- People in this range often develop high blood pressure unless their diets and habits change.
- Hypertension Stage 1: From 130 – 139 systolic or 80 – 89 mm Hg diastolic
- People in this range are generally prescribed lifestyle changes and possibly medication.
- Hypertension Stage 2: 140/90 mm Hg or higher
- People in this range are generally prescribed both lifestyle changes and medication.
- Hypertensive Crisis: Higher than 180/120 mm Hg
- Individuals require medical attention.
If you have blood pressure higher than 180/120 mm Hg and are experiencing chest pain, shortness of breast, back pain, numbness/weakness, change in vision, or difficulty speaking, call your local emergency medical service.
How to lower high blood pressure
Individuals with elevated blood pressure or hypertension should start to make changes to their lifestyle, including limiting salt in their diet, losing weight if appropriate (even 10 fewer pounds can lower blood pressure by 5 to 10 mm Hg), increasing exercise, stopping smoking, and limiting alcohol intake to one to two drinks per day.
People with cardiac risk factors, such as diabetes, and a family history of heart disease will likely be prescribed medication. Taking medicine improves both blood pressure and health outcomes. Talk to a doctor to determine which medication may be best for you.
What to do to monitor your blood pressure
Go to a doctor and have it checked.
If your blood pressure is high (or low), your doctor can help figure out why. The majority of people who have high blood pressure inherit it from one or both parents. A doctor can rule out other causes, such as sleep apnea. Many medications, including pain medications, contraceptives, and anti-depressants can contribute to high blood pressure.
Being proactive and having your blood pressure tested may save you from the not-so-silent health consequences of having untreated hypertension. Knowing your blood pressure numbers and starting treatment if appropriate are the best ways to stop this silent killer among us.
Diabetes
Diabetes is often called the “Silent Killer” because it can affect people of any age or gender, and it sometimes doesn’t have any symptoms. It can take a long time for symptoms to appear, so many people don’t know they have it. According to the CDC, one in five people with diabetes in the United States don’t know they have it.
Diabetes destroys the nerve cells that control pain. Diabetes is a disease in which blood sugar is not regulated and properly controlled.
Signs and symptoms of diabetes:
- Increased thirst
- Increased urination
- Blurred vision
- Numbness and tingling in hands and feet
- Fatigue
- Increased hunger
- Weight loss
Risk factors of diabetes:
There are some risk factors of diabetes over which you have no control: heredity, age, race, and gender.
Lifestyle factors that can lead to the development of diabetes include obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and smoking. People with high blood pressure are also at a higher risk of developing prediabetes or type diabetes.
Possible Treatments for Diabetes
The goal of diabetes treatment is to keep blood glucose levels as close as possible to normal and to prevent diabetic complications such as vision problems, poor blood circulation, and heart conditions. People with type 1 diabetes and some with type 2 or gestational diabetes might need to take insulin regularly by injection or insulin pump. However many people with type 2 diabetes keep symptoms under control with oral medications that aim to boost the body’s own insulin production or to limit the body’s processing of glucose.
A healthy lifestyle plays a key role in managing diabetes and preventing prediabetes from developing into full-blown type 2 diabetes. That includes ensuring a diet designed for balanced blood sugar, engaging in regular exercise, and stopping smoking. Losing weight can also help to prevent type 2 diabetes and its complications. Making positive changes and working closely with your doctor can make living with diabetes easier and healthier.
Risks of Untreated Diabetes
Diabetic neuropathy is one of the many complications that can develop in untreated diabetes. Neuropathy occurs when there’s damage to nerve cells, including cells. This condition can cause a cascade of conditions like foot ulcers also known as Charcot’s foot disease.
Untreated diabetes can also cause kidney complications like a condition called Diabetic Neuropathy, where the increased sugar damages the kidney which can lead to dialysis for treatment.
Untreated diabetes can also lead to Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) – a life-threatening emergency that can arise when the body cannot access glucose for energy and starts to break down fat instead. Ketones are a by-product of this process. As they accumulate in the blood, they can make it too acidic.
Symptoms of DKA include:
- Dizziness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Confusion
- Abdominal pain
- Fruity-smelling breath
- A loss of consciousness and possibly diabetic coma
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Relationship between diabetes and hypertension
Diabetes causes damage by scarring the kidneys, which in turn leads to salt and water retention, which in turn raises blood pressure. Over time, diabetes damages the small blood vessels, causing the walls of the blood vessels to stiffen and function improperly. These changes contribute to high blood pressure.
Hypertension and diabetes are risk factors for severe cardiovascular disease and are prevalent comorbidities (diseases that exist simultaneously with and usually independently of another medical condition).
If blood sugar falls too low the body releases hormones like adrenaline to increase blood sugar back to normal levels. Adrenaline, and similar hormones, are also responsible for increasing heart rate and constricting blood vessels, leading to elevated blood pressure.
Complications of diabetes and hypertension
High blood pressure (hypertension) can lead to many complications of diabetes, including diabetic eye disease and kidney disease, or make them worse. Most people with diabetes will eventually have high blood pressure, along with other heart and circulation problems.
