Hypertension (high blood pressure) is when the force of blood pumping through the arteries is consistently too high. This results in the walls of the arteries being expanded beyond their normal limit, which can lead to damage and scarring and put people at risk for heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease.
Hypertension is often called “the silent killer” because it’s common for people with high blood pressure to have no warning signs or symptoms.
Uncommonly, severe hypertension can cause or be accompanied by symptoms such as:
- Headaches
- Vomiting
- Dizziness
- Feeling tired
- Facial flushing
- Blood spots in the eyes (subconjunctival hemorrhage)
- More common in people who also have diabetes
What Causes Hypertension?
Risk factors for developing hypertension (high blood pressure) include:
- Family history of high blood pressure
- Gender
- Men are more likely to develop hypertension than women up to age 64
- Women are more likely to develop hypertension than men starting at age 65
- Race
- African-Americans tend to develop hypertension more often than other races
- Age
Risk factors for developing hypertension that can be managed or prevented include:
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Being overweight or obese
- Poor diet, especially one that is high in salt (sodium), saturated and trans fats, calories, and sugars
- Smoking and tobacco use
- Excess alcohol intake
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Untreated obstructive sleep apnea
- Stress
How Is Hypertension Diagnosed?
Adults 20 years of age and older should have their blood pressure checked during regular doctor visits.
Blood pressure is measured with a pressure cuff (sphygmomanometer) placed around the upper arm and manually or electronically inflated.
- When inflated, the cuff compresses the brachial artery, the major blood vessel of the upper arm, briefly stopping blood flow.
- The air in the cuff is then released slowly while the person performing the measurement listens with a stethoscope or monitors an electronic readout.
Blood pressure is expressed in two numbers:
| Systolic blood pressure (the first/top number) | measures the pressure in the blood vessels when the heart beats |
| Diastolic blood pressure (the second/bottom number) | measures the pressure in the blood vessels when the heart is at rest between beats |
High, elevated, and normal blood pressure is usually defined in the following ranges in the blood pressure chart below:
| High blood pressure (hypertension) | 140/90 mmHg or more |
| Prehypertension/at risk for high blood pressure | between 120/80 and 139/89 |
| Normal blood pressure | less than 120/80 mmHg |
What Is the Treatment for Hypertension?
Lifestyle changes are usually the first-line treatment for hypertension (high blood pressure), including:
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Exercising regularly
- A balanced diet that low in salt
- Not smoking
- Limiting or avoiding alcohol
- Managing stress
- Getting adequate sleep
- Taking medications as directed
When medications are needed to treat hypertension, they may include:
- ACE inhibitors
- Peripherally acting alpha-adrenergic blockers
- Centrally-acting alpha adrenergics
- Angiotensin II antagonists (ARBs)
- Beta-blockers
- Calcium channel blockers
- Diuretics (“water pills”)
- Vasodilators
- Renin inhibitors
- Combination medicines, made up of two or more different kinds of blood pressure medicines
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https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure
https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/
https://www.fda.gov/consumers/free-publications-women/high-blood-pressure-medicines-help-you