arterial hypertension
Also known as high blood pressure, "the silent killer", hypertension, increased blood pressure
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms itself. It is, however, a major risk factor for stroke, coronary artery disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, peripheral arterial disease, vision loss, chronic kidney disease, and dementia. Hypertension is a major cause of premature death worldwide.
AI overview
Arterial hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a long-term condition where blood pressure in the arteries stays persistently elevated, usually without causing noticeable symptoms. It matters because it significantly increases the risk of serious conditions like stroke, heart disease, heart failure, and kidney disease, and is a leading cause of premature death worldwide.
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Key facts
- Medical condition.treatment
- Lifestyle changes, medications
- Medical condition.name
- Hypertension
- Medical condition.image
- Grade 1 hypertension.jpg
- Medical condition.caption
- Automated arm blood pressure meter showing arterial hypertension (shown by a systolic blood pressure 158 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure 99 mmHg, with a heart rate of 80 beats per minute)
- Medical condition.field
- Cardiology, Nephrology
- Medical condition.synonyms
- Arterial hypertension, high blood pressure
- Medical condition.symptoms
- None
- Medical condition.complications
- Coronary artery disease, stroke, heart failure, peripheral arterial disease, vision loss, chronic kidney disease, dementia
- Medical condition.causes
- Usually lifestyle and genetic factors
- Medical condition.risks
- Lack of sleep, excess salt, excess body weight, smoking, alcohol
Article
35 sectionsContents
- Signs and symptoms
- Secondary hypertension
- Hypertensive crisis
- Pregnancy
- Children
- Causes
- Primary hypertension
- Secondary hypertension
- Pathophysiology
- Diagnosis
- Measurement technique
- Other investigations
- Classification in adults
- Children
- Prevention
- Management
- Target blood pressure
- Lifestyle modifications
- Medications
- Resistant hypertension
- Epidemiology
- Adults
- Children
- Prognosis
- History
- Measurement
- Identification
- Treatment
- Society and culture
- Awareness
- Economics
- Other animals
- See also
- References
- Further reading
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms itself. It is, however, a major risk factor for stroke, coronary artery disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, peripheral arterial disease, vision loss, chronic kidney disease, and dementia. Hypertension is a major cause of premature death worldwide.
High blood pressure is classified as primary (essential) hypertension or secondary hypertension. About 90–95% of cases are primary, defined as high blood pressure due to non-specific lifestyle and genetic factors. Lifestyle factors that increase the risk include excess salt in the diet, excess body weight, smoking, physical inactivity and alcohol use. The remaining 5–10% of cases are categorized as secondary hypertension, defined as high blood pressure due to a clearly identifiable cause, such as chronic kidney disease, narrowing of the kidney arteries, an endocrine disorder, or the use of birth control pills.