Hypertension

Hypertension, commonly referred to as high blood pressure, is a medical condition in which the blood pressure is chronically raised.

Hypertension can be classified as either primary or secondary. Primary hypertension indicates that no specific medical cause can be found to explain a patient's condition. Secondary hypertension is the result of another condition, such as kidney disease or certain tumours.

Hypertension is considered to be present when a person's systolic blood pressure is consistently 140mmHg or greater, and/or their diastolic blood pressure is consistently 90mmHg or greater.

The exact cause of primary hypertension is not know, although high dietary sodium (salt) is believed to be implicated as are hereditary factors. The roles of the hormones renin and insulin and a lack of sleep may also be implicated.

Hypertension on its own is rarely severe enough to cause symptoms and elevated blood pressure is not an illness but it often requires treatment due to its short- and long-term effects on many organs. Persistent hypertension is one of the risk factors for strokes, heart attacks, heart failure and arterial aneurysm, and is a leading cause of chronic renal failure. Even a moderate elevation of blood pressure leads to shortened life expectancy.

Treatment of hypertension

Mild hypertension can usually be treated by diet, exercise and improved physical fitness. Dietary sodium (salt) may worsen hypertension in some people and reducing salt intake decreases blood pressure in many people. Regular, mild exercise improves blood flow and also helps to lower blood pressure. A reduction of environmental stressors such as high sound levels and over-illumination can be an additional method of reducing hypertension. For more severe hypertension, anti-hypertensive drugs may be prescribed such as ace inhibitors, alpha and beta blockers.