Some blood converts from a liquid into a solid (thrombus). Some blood clots can cause serious complications. A bulge forms on the wall of a vein, artery or the heart. The wall is weakened and may rupture.

Hypertension often damages the small blood vessels in the kidneys, resulting in kidneys that do not work properly. Eventually the kidneys can fail completely (kidney failure).

Eyes (hypertensive retinopathy) – untreated hypertension can lead to thickened, narrowed or torn blood vessels in the eyes, which can lead to vision loss.

Metabolic syndrome – this is a disorder of the body’s metabolism, including an enlarged waistline, low blood HDL levels (the good cholesterol), hypertension, and high levels of insulin. If the patient has hypertension he/she is more likely to have other components of metabolic syndrome, significantly raising the risk of diabetes, stroke and heart disease.

Cognitive and memory problems – if the high blood pressure continues untreated the patient’s ability to remember things, learn and understand concepts may be eventually become affected.

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