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Alternative names Return to top
High blood pressureDefinition Return to top
Hypertension means high blood pressure. This generally means:
Either or both of these numbers may be too high.
Pre-hypertension is when your systolic blood pressure is between 120 and 139 or your diastolic blood pressure is between 90 and 99 on multiple readings. If you have pre-hypertension, you are likely to develop high blood pressure at some point. Therefore, your doctor will recommend lifestyle changes to bring your blood pressure down to normal range.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors Return to top
Blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood pumped by the heart, and the size and condition of the arteries. Many other factors can affect blood pressure, including volume of water in the body; salt content of the body; condition of the kidneys, nervous system, or blood vessels; and levels of various hormones in the body.
"Essential" hypertension has no identifiable cause. It may have genetic factors and environmental factors, such as salt intake or others. Essential hypertension comprises over 95% of all high blood pressure.
"Secondary" hypertension is high blood pressure caused by another disorder. This may include:
Symptoms Return to top
Usually, no symptoms are present. Occasionally, you may experience a mild headache. If your headache is severe, or if you experience any of the symptoms below, you must be seen by a doctor right away. These may be a sign of dangerously high blood pressure (called malignant hypertension) or a complication from high blood pressure.
Signs and tests Return to top
Hypertension may be suspected when the blood pressure is high at any single measurement. It is confirmed through blood pressure measurements that are repeated over time. Blood pressure consistently elevated over 140 systolic or 90 diastolic is called hypertension. Your doctor will look for signs of complications to your heart, kidneys, eyes, and other organs in your body.
Systolic blood pressure consistently between 130 and 139 or diastolic blood pressure consistently between 80 and 89 is called pre-hypertension. Your doctor will recommend and encourage lifestyle changes including weight loss, exercise, and nutritional changes.
Tests for suspected causes and complications may be performed. These are guided by the symptoms presented, history, and results of examination.
Treatment Return to top
The goal of treatment is to reduce blood pressure to a level where there is decreased risk of complications. Treatment may occur at home with close supervision by the health care provider, or may occur in the hospital.
Medications may include diuretics, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), or alpha blockers. Medications such as hydralazine, minoxidil, diazoxide, or nitroprusside may be required if the blood pressure is very high.
Have your blood pressure checked at regular intervals (as often as recommended by your doctor.)
Lifestyle changes may reduce high blood pressure, including weight loss, exercise, and dietary adjustments (see "Prevention").
Expectations (prognosis) Return to top
Hypertension is controllable with treatment. It requires lifelong monitoring, and the treatment may require adjustments periodically.Complications Return to top
Calling your health care provider Return to top
Even if you have not been diagnosed with high blood pressure, it is important to have your blood pressure checked at annual exams, especially if you have a history of high blood pressure in your family.
If you have high blood pressure, you will have regularly scheduled appointments with your doctor.
In between appointments, if you have any of the symptoms listed below or your blood pressure remains high even with treatment (this assumes the use of a home blood pressure monitor), then call your doctor right away.
Prevention Return to top
Lifestyle changes may help control high blood pressure:
Follow your health care provider's recommendations to modify, treat, or control possible causes of secondary hypertension.
Update Date: 7/18/2003 Updated by: A.D.A.M. Editorial. Previous Review by Andrew Koren, MD, Department of Nephrology, NYU-Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network (11/29/2001).
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Page last updated: 28 October 2004 |