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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 | |
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Other names | Arterial hypertension, high blood pressure |
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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] |
Risk factors | Lack of sleep, excess salt, excess body weight, smoking, alcohol[1][5] |
Diagnostic method | Resting blood pressure >130/80 mmHg[6] or >140/90 mmHg[7] |
Treatment | Lifestyle changes, medications[8] |
Frequency | 33% (all), 16% (diagnosed) (globally, 2019)[9][10] |
Deaths | 10.4 million; 19% of deaths (globally, 2019)[9] |
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] 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 hypertension, 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 (first number) and diastolic (second number) pressures.[1] For most adults, normal blood pressure at rest is within the range of 100–140 millimeters mercury (mmHg) systolic and 60–90 mmHg diastolic.[6][7] 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][6][7] Different numbers apply to children.[14] Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring over a 24-hour period appears more accurate than office-based blood pressure measurement.[5][11]
Lifestyle changes and medications can lower blood pressure and decrease the risk of health complications.[8] Lifestyle changes include weight loss, physical exercise, decreased salt intake, reducing alcohol intake, and a healthy diet.[5] If lifestyle changes are not sufficient, blood pressure medications are used.[8] 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.[15] The effect of treatment of blood pressure between 130/80 mmHg and 160/100 mmHg is less clear, with some reviews finding benefit[6][16][17] and others finding unclear benefit.[18][19][20] High blood pressure affects 33% of the population globally.[9] About half of all people with high blood pressure do not know that they have it.[9] In 2019, high blood pressure was believed to have been a factor in 19% of all deaths (10.4 million globally).[9]