Hypertension is the term used to describe high blood pressure.
Blood pressure is a measurement of the force against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood through your body.
Blood pressure readings are usually given as two numbers -- for example, 120 over 80 (written as 120/80 mmHg). One or both of these numbers can be too high.
The top number is called the systolic blood pressure, and the bottom number is called the diastolic blood pressure.
Normal blood pressure is when your blood pressure is lower than 120/80 mmHg most of the time.
High blood pressure (hypertension) is when your blood pressure is 140/90 mmHg or above most of the time.
If your blood pressure numbers are 120/80 or higher, but below 140/90, it is called pre-hypertension..
If you have pre-hypertension, you are more likely to develop high blood pressure.
If you have heart or kidney problems, or if you had a stroke, your doctor may want your blood pressure to be even lower than that of people who do not have these conditions
Causes:
Many factors can affect blood pressure, including:
How much water and salt you have in your body
The condition of your kidneys, nervous system, or blood vessels
The levels of different body hormones
You are more likely to be told your blood pressure is too high as you get older. This is because your blood vessels become stiffer as you age. When that happens, your blood pressure goes up. High blood pressureincreases your chance of having a stroke, heart attack, heart failure, kidney disease, and early death.
You have a higher risk of high blood pressure if you:
Are African American
Are obese
Are often stressed or anxious
Drink too much alcohol (more than one drink per day for women and more than two drinks per day for men)
Eat too much salt in your diet
Have a family history of high blood pressure
Have diabetes
Smoke
Most of the time, no cause of high blood pressure is found. This is called essential hypertension.
High blood pressure that is caused by another medical condition or medication is called secondary hypertension. Secondary hypertension may be due to:
Chronic kidney disease
Disorders of the adrenal gland (pheochromocytoma or Cushing syndrome)
Pregnancy (see: preeclampsia)
Medications such as birth control pills, diet pills, some cold medications, and migraine medications
Narrowed artery that supplies blood to the kidney (renal artery stenosis)
Hyperparathyroidism
Symptoms:
Most of the time, there are no symptoms. For most patients, high blood pressure is found when they visit their health care provider or have it checked elsewhere.
Because there are no symptoms, people can develop heart disease and kidney problems without knowing they have high blood pressure.
If you have a severe headache, nausea or vomiting, bad headache, confusion, changes in your vision, or nosebleeds you may have a severe and dangerous form of high blood pressure called malignant hypertension.
Treatment:
The goal of treatment is to reduce blood pressure so that you have a lower risk of complications. You and your health care provider should set a blood pressure goal for you.
If you have pre-hypertension, your health care provider will recommend lifestyle changes to bring your blood pressure down to a normal range. Medicines are rarely used for pre-hypertension.
You can do many things to help control your blood pressure, including:
Eat a heart-healthy diet, including potassium and fiber, and drink plenty of water. See: High blood pressure and diet
Exercise regularly -- at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise a day.
If you smoke, quit -- find a program that will help you stop.
Limit how much alcohol you drink -- one drink a day for women, two a day for men.
Limit the amount of sodium (salt) you eat -- aim for less than 1,500 mg per day.
Reduce stress -- try to avoid things that cause you stress. You can also try meditation or yoga.
Stay at a healthy body weight -- find a weight-loss program to help you, if you need it.
Your health care provider can help you find programs for losing weight, stopping smoking, and exercising. You can also get a referral from your doctor to a dietitian, who can help you plan a diet that is healthy for you.
There are many different medicines that can be used to treat high blood pressure. See: High blood pressure medicines
Often, a single blood pressure drug may not be enough to control your blood pressure, and you may need to take two or more drugs. It is very important that you take the medications prescribed to you. If you have side effects, your health care provider can substitute a different medication.
