High Blood Pressure & Life Expectancy

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is often called the "silent killer." Many people with high blood pressure have no symptoms of the disease, but it can cause a reduction in a person's life expectancy, as well as negatively impact their quality of life.

Effects

• According to Dr. Oscar H. Franco of the Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands, hypertension can lower one's life expectancy by about five years. People with high blood pressure can also experience other diseases approximately seven years earlier than their peers who have normal blood pressure readings.

Misconceptions

• According to the American Heart Association, many people think that having high blood pressure is not dangerous or that they don't need to worry about it. In reality, high blood pressure is the leading cause of stroke, which can be fatal, and it can also cause or exacerbate other life-threatening illnesses, as well.

Complications

• The Mayo Clinic lists several serious complications that may occur as a result of hypertension and lower life expectancy, including heart attack, diabetes, heart failure, hardening of the arteries, stroke and kidney damage.

Prevention/Solution

• The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute suggests eating a healthy diet, exercising, not smoking, drinking only a moderate amount of alcohol, losing weight and reducing sodium in one's diet to prevent high blood pressure. These lifestyle changes can also help those with hypertension reduce their blood pressure.

Medical Treatments

• Prescription medications are available to treat high blood pressure and possibly add years to a patient's life expectancy. These include beta blockers, ACE inhibitors and diuretics.