Category Archives: Hypertension

Drug discord Hypertension specialist Dr Walter van der Merwe has a number of beefs about the way New Zealand deals with hypertension. He says the condition doesnt get the attention it deserves, and we dont have the right combinations of drugs to treat it Continue reading →

The continuous use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is associated with the development of incident hypertension in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), compared with patients with AS who reported noncontinuous or no NSAID use, according to research results published in Arthritis Care and Research. Researchers investigated the link between NSAID use and the development of incident hypertension in a prospective, observational cohort of patients with AS Continue reading →

Overview Pulmonary hypertension is a type of high blood pressure that affects the arteries in your lungs and the right side of your heart. In one form of pulmonary hypertension, tiny arteries in your lungs, called pulmonary arterioles, and capillaries become narrowed, blocked or destroyed. Continue reading →

Medically reviewed on May 12, 2018 High blood pressure is a common condition in which the long-term force of the blood against your artery walls is high enough that it may eventually cause health problems, such as heart disease. Blood pressure is determined both by the amount of blood your heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in your arteries. The more blood your heart pumps and the narrower your arteries, the higher your blood pressure Continue reading →

During Nurse Maegans shift in a hospital hypertension clinic, a patient came in with her daughter. The 85-year-old patient had her blood pressure taken, and Nurse Maegan noted that it is 210/158 mmHg. The patient attributes the increase of her blood pressure to her age Continue reading →

Hypertension is abnormally high blood pressure in the arteries, which are the blood vessels that carry blood from the to the rest of the body. As the heart beats, it forces blood through the arteries to deliver nutrients and oxygen to the rest of the body. The strength of the blood pushing against the artery walls is blood pressure, which is measured in units called millimeters of mercury (mmHg). Continue reading →

Primary (essential)hypertension, by definition, has no known cause.Medical conditions and lifestyle factors can contribute to thedevelopment ofsecondary hypertension, however, with high blood pressure being a consequence of a separate health concern typically related to the heart, arteries, kidneys, or endocrine system. Hypertension generally develops without a known cause and gradually worsens over the years Continue reading →

HypertensionSynonymsArterial hypertension, high blood pressureAutomated arm blood pressure meter showing arterial hypertension (shown a systolic blood pressure 158mmHg, diastolic blood pressure 99mmHg and heart rate of 80 beats per minute)SpecialtyCardiologySymptomsNone[1]ComplicationsCoronary artery disease, stroke, heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, vision loss, chronic kidney disease, dementia[2][3][4]CausesUsually lifestyle and genetic factors[5][6]Risk factorsExcess salt, excess body weight, smoking, alcohol[1][5]Diagnostic methodResting blood pressure130/80 or 140/90mmHg[5][7]TreatmentLifestyle changes, medications[8]Frequency1637% globally[5]Deaths9.4 million / 18% (2010)[9] Hypertension (HTN or HT), also known as high blood pressure (HBP), is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated.[10] High blood pressure typically does not cause symptoms.[1] Long-term high blood pressure, however, is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease, stroke, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, peripheral vascular disease, vision loss, chronic kidney disease, and dementia.[2][3][4][11] High blood pressure is classified as either primary (essential) high blood pressure or secondary high blood pressure.[5] About 9095% 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, and alcohol use.[1][5] The remaining 510% of cases are categorized as secondary high blood pressure, defined as high blood pressure due to an 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 expressed by two measurements, the systolic and diastolic pressures, which are the maximum and minimum pressures, respectively.[1] For most adults, normal blood pressure at rest is within the range of 100130 millimeters mercury (mmHg) systolic and 6080 mmHg diastolic.[7][12] 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][7] Different numbers apply to children.[13] Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring over a 24-hour period appears more accurate than office-based blood pressure measurement.[5][10] 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 then blood pressure medications are used.[8] Up to three medications 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.[14] The effect of treatment of blood pressure between 130/80mmHg and 160/100mmHg is less clear, with some reviews finding benefit[7][15][16] and others finding unclear benefit.[17][18][19] High blood pressure affects between 16 and 37% of the population globally.[5] In 2010 hypertension was believed to have been a factor in 18% of all deaths (9.4 million globally).[9] Hypertension is rarely accompanied by symptoms, and its identification is usually through screening, or when seeking healthcare for an unrelated problem. Continue reading →

What is blood pressure? Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Each time your heart beats, it pumps blood into the arteries. Continue reading →

What Is Hypertension? Continue reading →