Health
Effects of High Blood Pressure
Although high blood
pressure itself does not usually cause any symptoms, it is one of the
main risks for cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease (ischemic
heart disease, stroke, and hypertensive heart disease) is the leading
cause of death in San Francisco.
The relationship
between blood pressure and cardiovascular disease risk is continuous,
consistent, and independent of other risks. The higher the blood pressure,
the greater the chance of ischemic heart disease, stroke, heart failure,
and kidney disease. The risk of cardiovascular disease doubles for each
increment of 20 mmHg systolic blood pressure or 10 mmHg diastolic blood
pressure, across the entire blood pressure range from 115/75 to 185/115
mmHg among individuals aged 40 to 70 years.
