What is Hypertension?

Hypertension, also called high blood pressure, is a common condition in which the blood puts excessive force against the walls of the arteries, which can lead to serious complications, such as heart disease,stroke, and kidney failure. High blood pressure can be a result of a variety of conditions and diseases or a medical condition in itself.


Blood pressure is the force exerted on the walls of the arteries as blood is pumped through your body. Your blood pressure is measured as two numbers followed by the units of pressure, such as 120/80 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury). The top number is called the systolic pressure, which is the highest pressure in your arteries as the heart is pumping blood. The bottom number is called the diastolic pressure and reflects the lowest pressure in your arteries when the heart is at rest between beats.
Blood pressure measurements vary and show a moderate rise and fall in response to many situations. For example, blood pressure will rise during strenuous activity to ensure that all the cells of the body get sufficient amounts of oxygen-rich blood. Blood pressure may also rise in response to stressful situations. Blood pressure is normally lower during periods of relaxation or sleep.
As a general guideline, adults should keep their blood pressure lower than 140/90 mm Hg. In addition, current guidelines consider consistent readings higher than 120/80 mm Hg as a condition called prehypertension, which should be monitored regularly and treated as needed to ensure that your blood pressure does not become higher over time.
Extremely high blood pressure that occurs suddenly or the long-term effects of mild to moderately high blood pressure over time can lead to life-threatening complications, such as stroke, kidney failure, and heart attack. Seek regular medical care to check for and promptly treat high blood pressure to reduce the risk of complications.
Seek immediate medical care if you, or someone you are with, have symptoms such as chest pain, passing out, difficulty breathing, confusion, slurred speech, or problems with moving any part of the body.



What other symptoms might occur with high blood pressure?

High blood pressure is often called “the silent killer” because it generally does not produce symptoms until serious complications develop. In some cases, people with high blood pressure may experience nosebleeds or headaches.
Despite a general lack of symptoms, uncontrolled high blood pressure puts excessive stress on the walls of the body’s arteries. This damages blood vessels throughout the body, including blood vessels in vital organs, such as the kidneys, heart and brain.
Serious symptoms that might indicate a life-threatening condition
In some cases, high blood pressure may accompany symptoms that might indicate a serious or life-threatening condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting. Seek immediate medical care if you, or someone you are with, have any of these symptoms including:

• Change in mental status or sudden behavior change, such as confusion, delirium, lethargy, hallucinations and delusions
• Chest pain, chest tightness, chest pressure, palpitations
• Dizziness
• Garbled or slurred speech or inability to speak
• Loss of consciousness or change in consciousness, such as lethargy
• Nosebleed that does not stop within five minutes
• Numbness
• Paralysis or difficulty moving a part of your body
• Rapid heart rate (tachycardia)
• Severe or unusual headache
• Vision changes
• Weakness



What causes high blood pressure?

In most cases, high blood pressure has no known cause. This is called essential hypertension. High blood pressure can also be caused by a specific condition, disease or medication. This is called secondary hypertension.
Causes of high blood pressure
Diseases, disorders and conditions that cause high blood pressure include:
• Alcoholism
• Anxiety and stress
• Aortic valve disease
• Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)
• Coarctation of the aorta (narrowing of the aorta)
• Endocrine disorders (hyperthyroidism, Cushing’s syndrome, hyperparathyroidism)
• Fever
• Kidney disease (kidney cancer, kidney failure, renovascular high blood pressure, glomerulonephritis)
• Pain
• Potassium deficiency
• Pregnancy (gestational high blood pressure, preeclampsia)



Medications and substances that cause high blood pressure

• Cocaine
• Methamphetamine
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Oral contraceptives (birth control pills) and other hormone drugs
• Over-the-counter cold medications
• Steroids



Risk factors associated with high blood pressure

High blood pressure is linked to several risk factors. Not all people who are at risk for high blood pressure will develop the condition, and not all people who develop high blood pressure have risk factors. Risk factors include:
• African-American ancestry
• Aging—when only the top number in a blood pressure measurement is high, it is called isolated systolic high blood pressure, which is common in older adults
• Anxiety and stress
• Diabetes
• Diet that is high in salt
• Excessive alcohol use
• Family history of high blood pressure
• Male gender
• Obesity
• Prehypertension
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Smoking or use of chewing tobacco




Life-threatening types of high blood pressure

In some cases, high blood pressure may be severe enough to be immediately life threatening and should be evaluated quickly in an emergency setting:
• Accelerated high blood pressure (malignant high blood pressure)
• Hypertensive crisis



What are the possible complications of high blood pressure?

Complications of long-term high blood pressure are serious and can be life threatening. High blood pressure can damage the arteries throughout your body including those that supply blood to vital organs, such as the kidneys, brain and heart. You can control high blood pressure by following the treatment plan you and your health care professional design specifically for you. Complications of uncontrolled high blood pressure include:
• Aneurysm
• Coronary heart disease
• Heart failure
• Hypertensive crisis
• Kidney failure
• Malignant high blood pressure
• Organ damage
• Stroke
• Vision changes and blindness