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What is Hypertension?

Blood pressure is the flow of blood with respect to the resistance of the blood vessels as blood is pumped into the arteries. High blood pressure is known as hypertension. Although someone with high blood pressure may show no symptoms, long-term complications may still arise. Many who suffer from high blood pressure do not even know it. High blood pressure can lead to heart disease, heart failure, stroke, and other serious conditions.

Systolic & Diastolic Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is recorded with two numbers, the systolic and the diastolic pressure. The systolic pressure, the top number, is the pressure of the blood pushing against the artery walls. The diastolic pressure, the bottom number, reflects the artery pressure as the heart fills and in between heartbeats. The normal systolic pressure is 140 and the diastolic pressure should not be higher than 90. A person whose blood pressure is constantly higher than normal has high blood pressure or hypertension. About 25% of adults suffer from high blood pressure.

Causes of Hypertension

A percentage of people have high blood pressure that is brought on by another disease, this situation is referred to as secondary hypertension. In these cases, when the main cause is treated, the blood pressure will generally return to normal. Some causes of hypertension include kidney disease, adrenal tumors, pregnancy and birth control pills, alcoholism and thyroid disease.

In patients suffering from primary hypertension the specific cause is unknown, but there are some factors that may contribute to high blood pressure. Causes of high blood pressure that cannot be altered are age, race, socioeconomic status, heredity and gender. The older you get the more likely you are to suffer from high blood pressure due to the stiffening of the arteries. African-Americans have a greater risk of high blood pressure that may develop at an earlier age. Less educated individuals of either race are more likely to suffer from hypertension. Patients who have a history of high blood pressure in their family stand at greater risk than persons who do not. Men have a greater tendency to develop high blood pressure than women do, but risk still depends on age and ethnicity.

Symptoms of High Blood Pressure

Although hypertension does cause symptoms, many are hard to detect. People who suffer from high blood pressure usually do not know it until their pressure is measured. Some symptoms that have been associated to high blood pressure

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