High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure damages the brain in early middle age

Uncontrolled high blood pressure damages the brain's structure and function as early as young middle-age, and even the brains of middle-aged people who clinically would not be considered to have hypertension have evidence ...

Neuroscience created Oct 31, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (4) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Nearly half of US adults with high blood pressure have it under control

Nearly half of U.S. adults with high blood pressure had their blood pressure under control by the end of 2010—a significant increase from the start of the decade, researchers reported in the American Heart Association journal ...

Cardiology created Oct 22, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Mom's high blood pressure in pregnancy could affect child's IQ in old age

New research from the University of Helsinki, Finland, suggests that a mother's high blood pressure during pregnancy may have an effect on her child's thinking skills all the way into old age. The study is published in the ...

Neuroscience created Oct 03, 2012 | popularity 1 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Patients citing 'high blood pressure' more than doubled the chance of getting new medication

(Medical Xpress)—A patient who cites hypertension as a reason for a doctor's visit is more than twice as likely to be prescribed a new medicine than a patient who doesn't speak up, according to a recent ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes created Sep 28, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Starting to snore during pregnancy could indicate risk for high blood pressure, study says

Women who begin snoring during pregnancy are at strong risk for high blood pressure and preeclampsia, according to research from the University of Michigan.

Obstetrics & gynaecology created Sep 25, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Depression linked to almost doubled stroke risk in middle-aged women

Depressed middle-aged women have almost double the risk of having a stroke, according to research published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

Cardiology created May 16, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Heart failure patients living longer, but long-term survival still low

People hospitalized for acute heart failure are likely to survive longer compared to the prior decade, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Heart Association and presented at the American Heart Association's ...

Cardiology created May 16, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Yoga may help ease high blood pressure, study finds

(HealthDay)—People who follow the ancient practice of yoga may be getting an added health boost, with a new study suggesting it can fight high blood pressure—also known as hypertension.

Health created May 15, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Cellphone calls during blood pressure readings may skew results

(HealthDay)—New Italian research offers some cautionary advice for patients with high blood pressure: The next time you take a blood pressure reading, turn off your cellphone.

Health created May 15, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

How to quickly spot signs of stroke

(HealthDay)—Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arms or legs on one side of the body, confusion and trouble speaking are among the signs that someone is having a stroke. The sooner a stroke is recognized ...

Cardiology created May 13, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Estrogen levels tied to risk for sudden cardiac death in study

(HealthDay)—Higher levels of the hormone estrogen are associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death in men and women, a new study suggests.

Cardiology created May 11, 2013 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Positive social support at work shown to reduce risk of diabetes

Cases of type 2 diabetes continue to rise in the US. And while the development of the disease is more commonly associated with risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, and physical inactivity, research has shown ...

Diabetes created May 09, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Anti-hypertension drug may improve schizophrenia symptoms

(Medical Xpress)—An anti-hypertension drug administered intravenously for a single four-hour treatment resulted in dramatic improvements of symptoms for people living with schizophrenia, according to newly published findings ...

Psychology & Psychiatry created May 09, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (3) | comments 0

Carnitine supplement may improve survival rates of children with heart defects

A common nutritional supplement may be part of the magic in improving the survival rates of babies born with heart defects, researchers report.

Pediatrics created May 08, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Sunshine could benefit health and prolong life, study suggests

Exposing skin to sunlight may help to reduce blood pressure, cut the risk of heart attack and stroke – and even prolong life, a study suggests.

Health created May 07, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 1


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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