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Hypertension
Alternate Names : High Blood Pressure
Definition
Hypertension means high blood pressure. This generally means:
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systolic blood pressure is consistently over 140 (systolic is the "top" number of your blood pressure measurement, which represents the pressure generated when the heart beats)
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diastolic blood pressure is consistently over 90 (diastolic is the "bottom" number of your blood pressure measurement, which represents the pressure in the vessels when the heart is at rest)
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.
Pictures & Images
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Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
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:
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Jump to another section
• Definition
• Hypertension Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
• Hypertension Symptoms & Signs
• Hypertension Prevention
• Hypertension Diagnosis & Tests
• Hypertension Treatment
• Hypertension Prognosis
• Hypertension Complications
• Calling Your Health Care Provider
• Pictures & Images
Topics that might be of interest to you Diseases & Conditions
• Acute Kidney Failure
• Aortic Dissection
• Atherosclerosis
• Cushing's Syndrome
• Essential Hypertension
• Glomerulonephritis
• Heart Attack
• Heart Failure
• Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome (HUS)
• Henoch-Schonlein Purpura
• Hypertensive Heart Disease
• Injury - Kidney and Ureter
• Malignant Hypertension (Arteriolar Nephrosclerosis)
• Polyarteritis Nodosa
• Radiation Enteritis
• Renal Vein Thrombosis
• Retroperitoneal Fibrosis
• Stroke
• Wilms' Tumor
Tests & Exams
• Blood Pressure
Other Topics
• Blindness
• Chest Pain
• Enzyme
• High Blood Pressure
• Weight Loss - Unintentional
Review Date : 7/18/2003
Reviewed 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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