Hypertension is blood pressure that is often higher than 140/90 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).

HBP; Blood pressure - high

Blood pressure can vary throughout the day and change with activity. A blood pressure measurement has two numbers:

• The top (systolic) number is the blood pressure during the heartbeat.
• The bottom (diastolic) number is the blood pressure between beats.

According to the American Heart Association, adults should normally have a blood pressure less than 120/80 mm Hg.

Pre-hypertension is when the top number is 120-139 mm Hg and the bottom number is over 80-89 mm Hg on most measurements. If you have pre-hypertension, you are likely to develop high blood pressure at some time in your life, unless you make lifestyle changes.

High blood pressure can affect all types of people. You have a higher risk of high blood pressure if you have a family history of the disease. High blood pressure is more common in African Americans than Caucasians.

Most of the time, no cause is identified. This is called essential hypertension. High blood pressure that results from a specific condition, habit, or medication is called secondary hypertension.

Some reasons for secondary hypertension include:

• Anxiety and stress
• Appetite suppressants
• Arteriosclerosis
• Birth control pills
• Certain medicines used to treat colds
• Coarctation of the aorta
• Cocaine use
• Diabetes
• Kidney disease
• Migraine medicines
• Obesity
• Pain
• Pregnancy (called gestational hypertension)
• Regularly drinking too much alcohol and alcohol toxicity
• Renal artery stenosis
• Too much salt in your diet

Images

Lifestyle changes

Monitoring blood pressure

Untreated hypertension

DASH diet

Exercise can lower blood pressure

Blood pressure check

High blood pressure tests

Review Date: 02/07/2007
Reviewed By: Glenn Gandelman, MD, MPH, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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