Hypertension

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It is the blood pressure that is consistently (more than 6 months) above 140/90. Systolic blood pressure is the top number. Hypertension may have no known cause or be associated with other primary diseases. High Blood Pressure, defined as a repeatedly elevated blood pressure exceeding 140 over 90mmHg - a systolic pressure above 140 with a diastolic pressure above 90. A term that refers to an elevation of blood pressure. An upper systolic blood pressure over 140 mm of mercury is an accepted definition of systolic hypertension, whereas pressures over 90 mm of mercury often define diastolic hyper tension.

Causes

As blood flows from the heart out to the blood vessels, it creates pressure against the blood vessel walls. Your blood pressure reading is a measure of this pressure. When that reading goes above a certain point, it is called high blood pressure. The list of possible underlying conditions mentioned in various sources as possible causes of high blood pressure includes:

• Gestational hyper tension - occurring during pregnancy.
• Sleep apnea
• Hyperthyroidism
• Aortic valve condition
• Kidney disease
• Cushing's disease (type of Cushing's syndrome)
• Certain medications

• General: headache, fatigue, swelling, weight
• Common: cough, fever, flu-like, cold-like, nausea, vomiting
• Digestive: diarrhea, constipation, bleed, bloat, appetite, swallow, all
• Pain: abdominal, back, chest, joint, headache, urinary, all types
• Systems: balance, sexual, sleep, speech, temperature, urinary, walking
• Skin symptoms: rash, color change, texture change, all skin
• Mental: behavior, concentration, coordination, develop
• Organs: bladder, bleeding, breathing, digest, heart, nerve

Recent clinical trials have called these treatment goals into question

• For patients who are otherwise healthy, the therapeutic goal of 140/90 seems adequate. But for people with certain underlying medical problems - chiefly diabetes or kidney disease - 140/90 is still too high. These individuals continue to suffer the consequences of hypertension unless their blood pressure is reduced below the traditional target value of 140/90.
• In treating elderly patients with isolated systolic hypertension, the diastolic pressure is also most often reduced. It turns out that if the diastolic pressures in these elderly patients is reduced too much (below 65 - 70,) the risk of stroke increases.

1. For people with typical diastolic hypertension who are not at high risk, the traditional goal of reducing the blood pressure to less than 140/90 appears adequate.
2. For elderly people with isolated systolic hypertension, caution should be taken to avoid reducing the diastolic pressure to less than 65 - 70. Less than optimal lowering of the systolic pressure should be accepted in order to avoid reducing the diastolic pressure too far.
3. For certain "high-risk" patients with diastolic hypertension, more aggressive therapy to reduce the diastolic pressure to 80 or less should be considered.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.