The Links Between High Blood Pressure and Heart Disease

High blood pressure and heart disease are closely related. The former is a major risk factor for the latter, but is high blood pressure considered heart disease? One expert’s answer may surprise you.

High Blood Pressure and Heart Disease: Separate or Synonymous?

High blood pressure is when blood pushes against your artery walls with too much force for too long. Your blood pressure is considered high when the top number (systolic pressure — during a heartbeat) consistently measures 130–139 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or higher and the bottom number (diastolic pressure — between beats) consistently measures 80–89 mm Hg or higher.

Also called hypertension, high blood pressure isn’t a specific type of heart disease, but it’s helpful to think of it that way, according to board-certified cardiologist Dr. Stephen Fedec, who sees patients in Beaufort and Okatie.

“Considering high blood pressure to be a type of heart disease is important because many people don’t think high blood pressure is serious,” Dr. Fedec says. “It often causes no symptoms. It’s important to identify high blood pressure to manage it properly because it can have a lot of health effects.”

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A Major Heart Disease Contributor

A variety of factors can lead to heart disease, including unhealthy cholesterol levels, a family history of heart problems, an unhealthy diet, not getting enough exercise, smoking, and being overweight or obese. Another significant risk factor — and, fortunately, one that you can do a lot to control — is high blood pressure.

Here’s how high blood pressure and heart disease are linked: High blood pressure can damage arteries in the heart, brain and other organs. This weakens your arteries and makes them vulnerable to blockages from blood clots or plaque. Forced to work harder against the resistance of high blood pressure, the heart may enlarge and pump blood less efficiently to the body.

High blood pressure increases your risk for a variety of cardiovascular conditions, including stroke, heart failure and heart attack.

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Risk Reducers

Many factors, from smoking and an unhealthy diet to family history and aging, can increase your risk for high blood pressure. In many cases, however, it’s impossible to pinpoint a single cause.

“Most cases of high blood pressure are essential, meaning we don’t know what the specific cause is,” Dr. Fedec says. “We do know, however, that various lifestyle factors can lead to high blood pressure. That’s why we advise eating healthy with an emphasis on reducing sodium in the diet, quitting smoking, controlling weight and getting plenty of aerobic exercise. Long term, those actions will benefit your heart tremendously.”

High blood pressure often develops silently, which makes diagnosis half the battle. Your primary care provider will check your blood pressure during an annual physical exam, so be sure to make and keep that appointment each year. If you have high blood pressure, you can manage it with lifestyle changes and, if appropriate, prescription medication.

Need an expert to help you manage high blood pressure and improve your heart health?

Talk to a member of our heart care team.