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steroid use could easily leed to high blood pressure. high blood pressure could kill you in a number of ways. below is some information i coppied from a few places to pass along.
Understanding Hypertension:
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is when your blood pressure is higher than normal for an extended period of time.
Disease Stages
Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80. When a person has a blood pressure reading between 120/80 and 139/89, this condition is called prehypertension. Stage 1 hypertension is defined as 140-159 over 90-99, and a blood pressure above those levels is considered Stage 2 hypertension.3
The Stages of Hypertension
Blood pressure (mm Hg)StageLess than 120/80Normal120/80 to 139/89Prehypertension140/90 to 159/99Stage 1 hypertension160/100 and higherStage 2 hypertension
If high blood pressure is well controlled, most serious complications may be avoidable. However, for people with very high, uncontrolled blood pressure combined with retinopathy serious problems could develop. Coronary artery disease and stroke are the most common causes of death for people with very serious high blood pressure.
Why Treat Hypertension?
Of the several cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), high blood pressure is the most common, affecting more than 73 million Americans.1 However, there are many other CVDs that are just as serious, if not as widespread. In fact, hypertension is a risk factor itself for many more serious conditions. Keep in mind that many CVDs share several of the same symptoms and risk factors. For that reason, simple lifestyle changes like smart eating and avoiding bad habits are good recommendations for all people with CVDs. A description of these more serious conditions can be found below.
Coronary artery disease (CAD)
Over 13 million Americans have CAD (also called coronary heart disease or CHD),2 and it accounts for about one-third of all deaths in the United States.3 It occurs due to atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of plaque in medium and large arteries. In CAD, fat, plaque, and blood clots build up in the arteries. This blockage narrows the arteries, allowing less blood to get to the heart. In time, this blockage can completely block blood flow to the heart, causing acute coronary syndrome (ACS).2 The main symptom of CAD is chest discomfort (angina).2
Acute coronary syndrome (ACS)
ACS includes angina, which is aching or discomfort in the chest, and heart attack (also called myocardial infarction or MI). This year, about 1.2 million Americans will have a heart attack. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.4 Most cases of ACS are caused by coronary artery disease. Symptoms of ACS can include discomfort in the chest and upper body, shortness of breath, nausea, cold sweats, or lightheadedness.5
Heart failure (HF)
HF affects about 5.3 million people in the United States. Hypertension is a very common risk factor for HF, but diabetes is also a large factor, especially in women.6 Women who have not gone through menopause usually have a lower risk of heart disease than men of the same age. But women of all ages with diabetes have an increased risk of heart disease because diabetes cancels out the protective effects of being a woman in her child-bearing years.7 HF is defined as any change in pumping of the heart, along with symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, or fluid buildup in the abdomen.3
Stroke
Every year 780,000 people suffer a stroke (also called a cerebrovascular accident) and more than 150,000 people die from stroke.6 A stroke happens when a blood vessel in the brain bursts suddenly or is blocked by a blood clot or other object. Without oxygen from the blood supply, brain cells in the area of the broken blood vessel die within minutes. Symptoms of stroke include sudden weakness in the face or extremities on one side of the body, confusion, sight problems, severe headache, and trouble walking.4
Renal failure (RF)
The kidneys are organs in the middle of your back, just below the rib cage, that filter waste from the bloodstream.8 Chronic RF is the slow deterioration of kidney function.3 The most common cause of RF among Americans is diabetes, and the second is hypertension.8 If renal failure is not treated, complications like heart failure may occur. RF is asymptomatic at first, but as it progresses symptoms can include malnutrition, confusion, and seizures
People with high blood pressure are often urged to change their diet, exercise regularly, quit smoking, and generally lead less stressful lives. If changes to your lifestyle aren’t effective enough, your doctor may prescribe a medication like BYSTOLIC to help you manage your hypertension.
Antihypertensive drugs are used if a person’s blood pressure is above 140 (systolic) or 90 (diastolic). There are several different “classes” of blood pressure medication.1 Currently, they include:
Understanding Hypertension:
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is when your blood pressure is higher than normal for an extended period of time.
Disease Stages
Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80. When a person has a blood pressure reading between 120/80 and 139/89, this condition is called prehypertension. Stage 1 hypertension is defined as 140-159 over 90-99, and a blood pressure above those levels is considered Stage 2 hypertension.3
The Stages of Hypertension
Blood pressure (mm Hg)StageLess than 120/80Normal120/80 to 139/89Prehypertension140/90 to 159/99Stage 1 hypertension160/100 and higherStage 2 hypertension
If high blood pressure is well controlled, most serious complications may be avoidable. However, for people with very high, uncontrolled blood pressure combined with retinopathy serious problems could develop. Coronary artery disease and stroke are the most common causes of death for people with very serious high blood pressure.
Why Treat Hypertension?
Of the several cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), high blood pressure is the most common, affecting more than 73 million Americans.1 However, there are many other CVDs that are just as serious, if not as widespread. In fact, hypertension is a risk factor itself for many more serious conditions. Keep in mind that many CVDs share several of the same symptoms and risk factors. For that reason, simple lifestyle changes like smart eating and avoiding bad habits are good recommendations for all people with CVDs. A description of these more serious conditions can be found below.
Coronary artery disease (CAD)
Over 13 million Americans have CAD (also called coronary heart disease or CHD),2 and it accounts for about one-third of all deaths in the United States.3 It occurs due to atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of plaque in medium and large arteries. In CAD, fat, plaque, and blood clots build up in the arteries. This blockage narrows the arteries, allowing less blood to get to the heart. In time, this blockage can completely block blood flow to the heart, causing acute coronary syndrome (ACS).2 The main symptom of CAD is chest discomfort (angina).2
Acute coronary syndrome (ACS)
ACS includes angina, which is aching or discomfort in the chest, and heart attack (also called myocardial infarction or MI). This year, about 1.2 million Americans will have a heart attack. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.4 Most cases of ACS are caused by coronary artery disease. Symptoms of ACS can include discomfort in the chest and upper body, shortness of breath, nausea, cold sweats, or lightheadedness.5
Heart failure (HF)
HF affects about 5.3 million people in the United States. Hypertension is a very common risk factor for HF, but diabetes is also a large factor, especially in women.6 Women who have not gone through menopause usually have a lower risk of heart disease than men of the same age. But women of all ages with diabetes have an increased risk of heart disease because diabetes cancels out the protective effects of being a woman in her child-bearing years.7 HF is defined as any change in pumping of the heart, along with symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, or fluid buildup in the abdomen.3
Stroke
Every year 780,000 people suffer a stroke (also called a cerebrovascular accident) and more than 150,000 people die from stroke.6 A stroke happens when a blood vessel in the brain bursts suddenly or is blocked by a blood clot or other object. Without oxygen from the blood supply, brain cells in the area of the broken blood vessel die within minutes. Symptoms of stroke include sudden weakness in the face or extremities on one side of the body, confusion, sight problems, severe headache, and trouble walking.4
Renal failure (RF)
The kidneys are organs in the middle of your back, just below the rib cage, that filter waste from the bloodstream.8 Chronic RF is the slow deterioration of kidney function.3 The most common cause of RF among Americans is diabetes, and the second is hypertension.8 If renal failure is not treated, complications like heart failure may occur. RF is asymptomatic at first, but as it progresses symptoms can include malnutrition, confusion, and seizures
People with high blood pressure are often urged to change their diet, exercise regularly, quit smoking, and generally lead less stressful lives. If changes to your lifestyle aren’t effective enough, your doctor may prescribe a medication like BYSTOLIC to help you manage your hypertension.
Antihypertensive drugs are used if a person’s blood pressure is above 140 (systolic) or 90 (diastolic). There are several different “classes” of blood pressure medication.1 Currently, they include:
- Diuretics. Help the body to flush away water and salt2
- Calcium Channel Blockers. Relax and widen blood vessels3
- ACE Inhibitors. Block hormones that constrict blood vessels4
- Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers. Block blood-vessel–constricting hormones5
- Beta Blockers. A beta blocker is a medication that slows the heart rate and reduces the force with which the heart muscle contracts, thereby lowering blood pressure. Beta blockers do this by blocking beta-adrenergic receptors, which prevents adrenaline (epinephrine) from stimulating these receptors.6
