What is hypertension The scientific name for?
Overview. High blood pressure (hypertension) 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.
What is the nickname for hypertension?
Hypertension has no symptoms or warning signs. Yet it can be so dangerous to your health and well-being that it has earned the nickname “the silent killer.” When high blood pressure is accompanied by high cholesterol and blood sugar levels, the damage to the arteries, kidneys, and heart accelerates exponentially.
What is the nickname for hypertension and why is it called that?
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a dangerous condition that affects approximately 30 percent of Americans, causing up to 60,000 deaths per year. High blood pressure is often called “the silent killer” because it typically has no symptoms until after it has done significant damage to the heart and arteries.
What classification is hypertension?
Table 3Classification of blood pressure for adults
| Blood Pressure | SBP | DBP |
|---|---|---|
| Classification | mmHg | mmHg |
| Prehypertension | 120–139 | or 80–89 |
| Stage 1 Hypertension | 140–159 | or 90–99 |
| Stage 2 Hypertension | ≥160 | or ≥100 |
What are the three classifications of hypertension?
Isolated systolic hypertension, malignant hypertension, and resistant hypertension are all recognized hypertension types with specific diagnostic criteria.
What is the medical term for high blood pressure?
Secondary hypertension: High blood pressure that is caused by conditions such as alcohol or drug abuse, pregnancy, kidney disorders, or taking certain medicines. Sphygmomanometer: A device that is used to measure blood pressure. The sphygmomanometer consists of an arm cuff, dial, pump, and valve.
Why is hypertension considered a serious medical condition?
Description. Hypertension is serious because people with the condition have a higher risk for heart disease and other medical problems than people with normal blood pressure. Serious complications can be avoided by getting regular blood pressure checks and treating hypertension as soon as it is diagnosed.
What should your blood pressure be if you have hypertension?
Blood pressure lower than 120/80 mm Hg is considered normal. A number of factors such as pain, stress or anxiety can cause a temporary increase in blood pressure. For this reason, hypertension is not diagnosed on one high blood pressure reading.
What kind of medication is used to treat hypertension?
Mild to moderate hypertension may be controlled by a single-drug regimen, although more severe cases often require a combination of two or more drugs. Diuretics are a common medication; these agents lower blood pressure primarily by reducing body fluids and thereby reducing peripheral resistance to blood flow.
What are the 5 types of hypertension?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are five types of pulmonary hypertension. Type 1, which is called pulmonary arterial hypertension, includes PAH with no known cause (idiopathic PAH), inherited PAH, and PAH caused by congenital heart disease, thyroid disease, HIV, autoimmune diseases, or certain drugs.
What are the risk factors for developing hypertension?
Risk factors for developing hypertension include excessive sodium intake, low potassium intake, excessive alcohol intake, lack of exercise, smoking, stress, family history, age (>55 for men, >65 for women), and obesity ( BMI >30kg/m2).
What are the long term effects of hypertension?
Hypertension is associated with a number of serious long-term effects on the body. High blood pressure is a risk factor for the development of heart disease, heart failure, stroke, eye disease, kidney disease including kidney failure and some life-threatening emergencies.
What are the reasons for hypertension?
Hypertension occurs as a result of a variety of factors including diet, weight, genetics, stress levels, and environmental factors. Some types of hypertension have no known cause, while other types have a clearly identifiable cause. Hypertension puts people at risk for strokes, heart attacks, heart failures, aneurisms, and other diseases.