High Blood Pressure

Energy drinks pose risks to teens, study finds

(HealthDay)—A new report warns that popular energy drinks such as Red Bull and Rockstar pose potential hazards to teens, especially when mixed with alcohol.

Pediatrics created Feb 01, 2013 | popularity 3 / 5 (2) | comments 0

New stroke gene discovery could lead to tailored treatments

An international study led by King's College London has identified a new genetic variant associated with stroke. By exploring the genetic variants linked with blood clotting – a process that can lead to a stroke – scientists ...

Neuroscience created Feb 01, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (3) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Scientists identify culprit in obesity-associated high blood pressure

Obesity and its related conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke are among the most challenging of today's healthcare concerns.

Medical research created Jan 31, 2013 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (2) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Simple, daily steps can reduce risk of heart disease, experts say

February is American Heart Month, a perfect time to remind people that small steps can reduce their risk of heart disease, the No. 1 killer of men and women. Mayo Clinic cardiologists offer several simple tips to reduce the ...

Cardiology created Jan 31, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Are gender and ethnicity risk factors for metabolic syndrome in children?

Metabolic syndrome is more likely to affect children who are obese than overweight or non-overweight and who have other characteristics associated with the disorder, such as high blood pressure or insulin ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes created Jan 30, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Obesity and its consequences spreading rapidly around the world

Clogged arteries and sedentary lifestyles have replaced germs as the world's leading killers. Where hunger once held much of the world in its grip, the 1.6 billion overweight and obese now outnumber the malnourished by nearly ...

Health created Jan 29, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Hydrogen sulfide: The next anti-aging agent?

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) may play a wide-ranging role in staving off aging, according to a paper published online ahead of print in the journal Molecular and Cellular Biology. In this review article, a team from China explor ...

Medical research created Jan 29, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Preclinical study identifies 'master' proto-oncogene that regulates ovarian cancer metastasis

Scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered the signaling pathway whereby a master regulator of cancer cell proteins – known as Src – leads to ovarian cancer progression when exposed ...

Cancer created Jan 29, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Taking stairs, raking leaves may equal a trip to the gym, study finds

New research at Oregon State University suggests the health benefits of small amounts of activity – even as small as one- and two-minute increments that add up to 30 minutes per day – can be just as beneficial ...

Health created Jan 29, 2013 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (8) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Modified DASH intervention feasible for African-Americans

(HealthDay)—For African-Americans in an under-resourced community, use of a modified Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)-intervention is feasible, according to a study published online Jan. 10 ...

Health created Jan 28, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

FDA approves 3 new drugs for type 2 diabetes

(HealthDay)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration late Friday approved three new medications to help people battle type 2 diabetes.

Medications created Jan 26, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 1

Prostate cancer cells thrive on stress

Not surprisingly, a cancer diagnosis creates stress. And patients with prostate cancer show higher levels of anxiety compared to other cancer patients.

Cancer created Jan 25, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Improving health care for Cambodian-Americans

Scarred by years of torture and abuse under the brutal Khmer Rouge regime, Cambodian refugees in the United States have been found to have significantly higher physical and mental health problems compared ...

Health created Jan 25, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Spotting fetal growth problems early could cut UK stillbirths by 600 a year

The authors say spotting it early could substantially reduce the risk, and this needs to become a cornerstone of safety and effectiveness in antenatal care.

Health created Jan 24, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Extreme cold snap brings unexpected health risks

(HealthDay)—As extreme cold blankets many parts of the United States, one expert warns that frigid temperatures can put people at greater risk not only for hypothermia and frostbite, but also for stroke, ...

Health created Jan 24, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0


Hypertension (HTN) or high blood pressure, sometimes arterial hypertension, is a chronic medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is elevated. This requires the heart to work harder than normal to circulate blood through the blood vessels. Blood pressure involves two measurements, systolic and diastolic, which depend on whether the heart muscle is contracting (systole) or relaxed (diastole) between beats. Normal blood pressure is at or below 120/80 mmHg. High blood pressure is said to be present if it is persistently at or above 140/90 mmHg.

Hypertension is classified as either primary (essential) hypertension or secondary hypertension; about 90–95% of cases are categorized as "primary hypertension" which means high blood pressure with no obvious underlying medical cause. The remaining 5–10% of cases (secondary hypertension) are caused by other conditions that affect the kidneys, arteries, heart or endocrine system.

Hypertension is a major risk factor for stroke, myocardial infarction (heart attacks), heart failure, aneurysms of the arteries (e.g. aortic aneurysm), peripheral arterial disease and is a cause of chronic kidney disease. Even moderate elevation of arterial blood pressure is associated with a shortened life expectancy. Dietary and lifestyle changes can improve blood pressure control and decrease the risk of associated health complications, although drug treatment is often necessary in patients for whom lifestyle changes prove ineffective or insufficient.

This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.

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