Hypertension

Hypertension is High Blood Pressure!

Your blood pressure is measured by two numbers.  The first is called the systolic pressure (when your heart beats), and the second is called the diastolic pressure (when your heart relaxes).  Normal blood pressure is considered by medical experts to be less than 120/80 mm Hg.  Any person who has blood pressure consistently above 140/90 mm Hg is considered to have hypertension.

Hypertension makes the heart, blood vessels and kidneys work harder than they should.  By working too hard, in time the blood vessels will lose some of their ability to expand and contract.  This makes them less efficient in transporting or supplying blood to the heart, brain, lungs, kidneys and other body organs.  An insufficient supply of blood to these organs may lead to complications such as angina pectoris (chest pain), heart attack, stroke, or kidney disease.  Lowering blood pressure back to normal may prevent damage to these important body organs and preserve (and occasionally restore) their function.

Your Age:

People of all ages can have hypertension, but generally it is more common and more severe as we get older.  There are certain types of hypertension that require more aggressive treatment.  That is why it is important to see your physician and get your blood pressure checked regularly.  Hypertension is easy to detect, and in most cases is easy to control, but only when your physician is aware of it.

Your Race:

African Americans more commonly have higher blood pressure than other ethnic groups, and their hypertension is generally more severe.  Many African Americans have additional risk factors that make them even more likely to develop heart disease, sudden death, kidney disease, or stroke.  If you are African American, you may wish to ask your physician about this.

Your Use of Salt:

Using too much salt in your diet may cause your blood pressure to increase.  Older people and African Americans tend to be the patients most sensitive to the amount of salt in their diet.  Your doctor may ask you to monitor and restrict the amount of salt in your diet.

Your Weight:

Being overweight contributes to high blood pressure and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease.  If you are overweight, your doctor may want you to lose some of that weight in order to better control your hypertension and improve your general health.

Your Sex:

Middle-aged men are more likely than middle-aged women to have a heart attack.  But after menopause, the risk becomes the same for both men and women.

Additional Risk Factors:

Many times, hypertension is accompanied by separate metabolic risk factors for heart disease, such as abnormalities in insulin, lipids or cholesterol levels.  If necessary, your doctor can provide you with additional information about these risk factors.