How Dangerous is High Blood Pressure?
Whether you’ve been caring for aging loved ones for a short time, or you have been their family caregiver for many years, one risk you have likely heard about considerably is high blood pressure.
Hypertension affects approximately 75 million people throughout the United States and is a leading risk factor for a variety of serious health conditions.
It is vital to understand the impact not just the high blood pressure itself, but also the health effects it can contribute to. As their family caregiver, this can allow you to take the proper steps to protect your senior, improve their health, and support a healthier lifestyle as they age in place.
Some of the dangers of high blood pressure include:
-Placing tremendous stress on the heart. When a person has high blood pressure, it means the blood is exerting too much force against blood vessels. This puts a strain on the heart, forcing it to work harder. Over time, this can lead to damage, cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and stroke.
-Increased potential for congestive heart failure. The term heart failure may sound as though it means the heart simply stops, but this is not the case. Heart failure is actually a condition in which the heart is no longer healthy and strong enough to pump blood adequately throughout the body. A heart overloaded by the strain of high blood pressure is at much higher risk of experiencing heart failure, which can lead to devastating health problems, including death.
-Increased risk of aneurysm. High blood pressure weakens the blood vessels throughout the body. This can lead to an aneurysm, which includes rupturing of the blood vessels. This condition can be life-threatening.
-Increased risk of stroke. When the brain is not able to get enough blood, it leads to a stroke. Those with high blood pressure are at a dramatically increased risk of experiencing a stroke and may experience more severe complications and consequences as a result of the stroke.
-Higher potential for Alzheimer’s disease. Recent research has indicated a strong link between brain health and heart health. The brain needs a continuous flow of blood and nutrients to remain healthy and functional. A person with high blood pressure may not be able to provide the brain with this healthy blood, increasing at the risk of cellular death that can lead to Alzheimer’s disease.
Starting elder care for your senior parent is a fantastic way to enhance their quality of life, help them to manage their challenges and limitations in the ways that are right for them, and support a more fulfilling lifestyle as they age in place. Through a set of highly personalized services, an elderly home care services provider can give your parents the support and care they need to manage their challenges and limitations in individual ways, support safety, and health, boost mental and emotional health and well-being, and encourage your parents to find greater fulfillment in this later chapter of their life.
These services can include safe and reliable transportation to where they need and want to go, assistance with tasks throughout the home such as laundry and dishes, support with personal care tasks like bathing and grooming, companionship, medication reminders to help them stay compliant, meal preparation, and more.
If you or someone you know needs Home Care Services in Gulf Shores, AL, please contact the friendly caregivers at Hughes Home Care. We provide quality and affordable care for your elderly loved ones in our community. Call Us Today 251-517-9901. Serving Mobile & Baldwin County.
Source
Cdc.gov
Heart.org
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