Almost half of adults (48%) in the United States have diagnosed hypertension, or high blood pressure (BP). Millions more have elevated BP levels that leave them susceptible to developing chronic hypertension, and most aren’t aware of their condition.
Hypertension is a leading risk factor for heart disease and stroke; it’s also a major risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AFib), itself another major risk factor for stroke.
May is High Blood Pressure Education Month. For our team at Sunnyvale Cardiology, it’s an ideal time to shine a spotlight on the link between high BP and AFib — and explain why controlling your blood pressure is one of the most important steps you can take toward protecting your health.
The term blood pressure refers to the amount of force your blood exerts on your arteries both when your heart beats (systolic pressure, the first number in a BP reading), and when it rests (diastolic pressure, the second number).
Normal BP falls below 120/80 mm Hg. Every day, your BP rises and falls in response to activity, rest, stress, caffeine, and other factors. When it stays up, you may have:
Hypertension, or chronically high BP, develops when your blood constantly exerts excessive force against your arteries. Uncontrolled hypertension is a serious disease that progresses in stages, damaging your circulatory system along the way.
At these levels (short of severe hypertension or a hypertensive emergency), high BP is mostly a “silent” condition, meaning it exists — and undermines your cardiovascular health — without causing symptoms.
The ongoing strain of high BP can damage your arteries, setting the stage for plaque buildup (atherosclerosis) that reduces or blocks blood flow to your organs or extremities. It’s a major risk factor for stroke, heart attack, heart disease, kidney disease, and peripheral artery disease (PAD).
Hypertension can also inflict damage directly to your heart: It can weaken the cardiac muscle and lead to congestive heart failure; it can also cause AFib.
As the most commonly diagnosed arrhythmia and a dangerous heart disorder, AFib triggers episodes of chaotic, rapid heartbeats. Hypertension can set the stage for AFib by forcing the heart to work harder to pump, which causes structural changes that disrupt electrical pathways. High BP can:
Hypertension is associated with a 50% increased risk of developing AFib. In more severe cases, high BP can make an individual twice as likely to develop AFib compared to someone with healthy BP.
A stroke is a life-threatening medical emergency — and a leading cause of death and disability in the U.S. It occurs when a blocked or burst blood vessel stops the flow of oxygen to part of the brain, causing the affected brain cells to start dying within minutes.
Both hypertension and AFib are — by themselves — leading risk factors for stroke. When you have one of these conditions, your stroke risk is high; when they co-exist, your risk of having a major stroke is substantially higher.
Hypertension is the top cause of stroke; it plays a central role in more than half of all strokes. AFib is associated with a fivefold increase in stroke risk and is the direct cause of about 1 in 7 strokes (14%).
Preventing both AFib and stroke begins with BP control. Luckily, hypertension itself is largely avoidable, and prevention starts with knowing and controlling your numbers.
Along with having an annual physical and routine BP screenings, the following strategies can work to help prevent hypertension or reduce already-elevated BP levels:
If you have hypertension, effective BP control through lifestyle changes and medication may help prevent the cardiac structural changes that lead to AFib. Should AFib develop alongside uncontrolled BP levels, hypertension management becomes essential.
Are you worried about your risk of hypertension or AFib? We can help. Call or click online to schedule an appointment at Sunnyvale Cardiology in Sunnyvale, Texas, today.
