Hypertension
Long-term high blood pressure in the arteries / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated.[11] High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms itself.[1] It is, however, a major risk factor for stroke, coronary artery disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, peripheral arterial disease, vision loss, chronic kidney disease, and dementia.[2][3][4][12] Hypertension is a major cause of premature death worldwide.[13]
Hypertension | |
---|---|
Other names | Arterial hypertension, high blood pressure |
Automated arm blood pressure meter showing arterial hypertension (shown by a systolic blood pressure 158 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure 99 mmHg and heart rate of 80 beats per minute) | |
Specialty | Cardiology, Nephrology |
Symptoms | None[1] |
Complications | Coronary artery disease, stroke, heart failure, peripheral arterial disease, vision loss, chronic kidney disease, dementia[2][3][4] |
Causes | Usually lifestyle and genetic factors[5][6] |
Risk factors | Lack of sleep, excess salt, excess body weight, smoking, alcohol,[1][5] air pollution[7] |
Diagnostic method | Resting blood pressure 130/80 or 140/90 mmHg[5][8] |
Treatment | Lifestyle changes, medications[9] |
Frequency | 16–37% globally[5] |
Deaths | 9.4 million / 18% (2010)[10] |
High blood pressure is classified as primary (essential) hypertension or secondary hypertension.[5] About 90–95% of cases are primary, defined as high blood pressure due to nonspecific lifestyle and genetic factors.[5][6] Lifestyle factors that increase the risk include excess salt in the diet, excess body weight, smoking, physical inactivity and alcohol use.[1][5] The remaining 5–10% of cases are categorized as secondary high blood pressure, defined as high blood pressure due to a clearly identifiable cause, such as chronic kidney disease, narrowing of the kidney arteries, an endocrine disorder, or the use of birth control pills.[5]
Blood pressure is classified by two measurements, the systolic (high reading) and diastolic (lower reading) pressures.[1] For most adults, normal blood pressure at rest is within the range of 100–130 millimeters mercury (mmHg) systolic and 60–80 mmHg diastolic.[8][14] For most adults, high blood pressure is present if the resting blood pressure is persistently at or above 130/80 or 140/90 mmHg.[5][8] Different numbers apply to children.[15] Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring over a 24-hour period appears more accurate than office-based blood pressure measurement.[5][11] Hypertension is around twice as common in diabetics.[16]
Lifestyle changes and medications can lower blood pressure and decrease the risk of health complications.[9] Lifestyle changes include weight loss, physical exercise, decreased salt intake, reducing alcohol intake, and a healthy diet.[5] If lifestyle changes are not sufficient, then blood pressure medications are used.[9] Up to three medications taken concurrently can control blood pressure in 90% of people.[5] The treatment of moderately high arterial blood pressure (defined as >160/100 mmHg) with medications is associated with an improved life expectancy.[17] The effect of treatment of blood pressure between 130/80 mmHg and 160/100 mmHg is less clear, with some reviews finding benefit[8][18][19] and others finding unclear benefit.[20][21][22] High blood pressure affects between 16 and 37% of the population globally.[5] In 2010 hypertension was believed to have been a factor in 17.8% of all deaths (9.4 million globally).[10]