Fatigue is a common complaint we take seriously at Wake Family Medicine in Cary, North Carolina.
You might expect to feel exhausted after a debilitating illness or overexerting yourself, but you should feel better after having time to recover. With chronic fatigue, the exhaustion is constant, doesn’t improve over time, and often gets steadily worse.
Chronic fatigue is a widespread problem, with multiple causes ranging from cancer and heart disease to fibromyalgia and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Hormone imbalances and mental health disorders are also a leading cause of constant fatigue. Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is an illness where chronic fatigue is the primary symptom.
Because it’s such a common issue, you might attribute your constant fatigue to an existing chronic illness, menopause, or aging. However, don’t discount high blood pressure (hypertension) as a possible cause — it causes no symptoms until it becomes so severe it’s life-threatening.
Here, we look at why high blood pressure might be responsible for your fatigue.
Although hypertension doesn’t have many warning signs, fatigue becomes an issue when high blood pressure causes or exacerbates other conditions, such as:
Healthy arteries are smooth and elastic, allowing blood to flow freely and deliver oxygen and nutrients to all your organs and tissues. High blood pressure damages cells lining the artery walls and encourages narrowing, restricting blood flow. Reduced blood circulation means your body doesn’t get enough oxygen, which makes you feel tired.
Coronary artery disease (CAD) occurs when the heart arteries are damaged or narrowed. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) affects your legs, arms, and trunk, and carotid artery disease affects your head and brain. Any of these diseases could contribute to chronic fatigue.
High blood pressure can injure tiny blood vessels inside the kidneys. This damage makes it hard for your kidneys to filter blood and reduces blood flow through the organs. Without treatment, high blood pressure can result in potentially life-threatening kidney failure.
When you have high blood pressure, your heart must work significantly harder. Because it’s a muscle, this extra effort causes the heart to enlarge over time. A larger heart needs extra oxygen, but high blood pressure reduces blood flow, so oxygen delivery suffers. Unless you get the proper treatment, undue strain on an enlarged heart can result in heart failure.
The pulmonary artery delivers blood to your lungs. You can develop fatigue, shortness of breath, and lightheadedness if it’s affected by high blood pressure. Studies show that more than 90% of patients with pulmonary hypertension suffer from moderate to severe fatigue.
Other issues could also contribute to fatigue in patients with high blood pressure. For example, lack of sleep makes you tired and raises blood pressure. Many patients with high blood pressure also have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), where your breathing stops momentarily multiple times throughout the night. Fatigue is a common OSA symptom.
Having determined what might be behind your fatigue, the next step is treating it to restore your energy levels. Our board-certified primary care physician, Mrinalini Kodumagulla, MD, participates in clinical research on hypertension, so she always knows about the latest treatment advancements.
Address reducible high blood pressure risk factors, such as weight, smoking, and exercise. Dr. Kodumagulla offers expert advice on lifestyle changes and supports patients through weight loss, smoking cessation, and other healthy living programs.
She also monitors your blood pressure to ensure it’s regaining a safer level. Where necessary, she might prescribe medications to help reduce high blood pressure.
If you haven’t visited Wake Family Medicine for a blood pressure check in a while, call our office or use the online form to make an appointment. We also encourage you to get in touch if you develop constant fatigue.
