<h3>What is blood pressure?</h3> <p>Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Each time your heart beats, it pumps blood into the arteries. Your blood pressure is highest when your heart beats, pumping the blood. This is called systolic pressure. When your heart is at rest, between beats, your blood pressure falls. This is called diastolic pressure.</p> <p>Your blood pressure reading uses these two numbers. Usually the systolic number comes before or above the diastolic number. For example, 120/80 means a systolic of 120 and a diastolic of 80.</p> <h3>How is high blood pressure diagnosed?</h3> <p>High blood pressure usually has no symptoms. So the only way to find out if you have it is to get regular blood pressure checks from your health care provider. Your provider will use a gauge, a stethoscope or electronic sensor, and a blood pressure cuff. They will take two or more readings at separate appointments before making a diagnosis.</p> <table class="info-table-1" summary="Healthy and unhealthy blood pressure ranges" width="100%" border="0"> <thead> <tr> <th scope="col" style="width:55%">Blood Pressure Category</th> <th scope="col" style="width:20%">Systolic Blood Pressure</th> <th scope="col" style="width:5%"></th> <th scope="col" style="width:20%">Diastolic Blood Pressure</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr class="r1"> <td>Normal</td> <td>Less than 120</td> <td><strong>and</strong></td> <td>Less than 80</td> </tr> <tr class="r2"> <td>Elevated</td> <td>120 - 129</td> <td><strong>and</strong></td> <td>Less than 80</td> </tr> <tr class="r1"> <td>High Blood Pressure Stage 1</td> <td>130 - 139</td> <td><strong>or</strong></td> <td>80 - 89</td> </tr> <tr class="r2"> <td>High Blood Pressure Stage 2</td> <td>140 or higher</td> <td><strong>or</strong></td> <td>90 or higher</td> </tr> <tr class="r1"> <td>Hypertensive Crisis (dangerously high blood pressure - seek medical care right away)</td> <td>Higher than 180</td> <td><strong>and</strong></td> <td>Higher than 120</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <br/> <p>For children and teens, the health care provider compares the blood pressure reading to what is normal for other kids who are the same age, height, and sex.</p> <h3>What are the different types of high blood pressure?</h3> <p>There are two main types of high blood pressure: primary and secondary high blood pressure.:</p><ul> <li><strong>Primary,</strong> or essential, high blood pressure is the most common type of high blood pressure. For most people who get this kind of blood pressure, it develops over time as you get older.</li> <li><strong>Secondary</strong> high blood pressure is caused by another medical condition or use of certain medicines. It usually gets better after you treat that condition or stop taking the medicines that are causing it.</li> </ul> <h3>Why do I need to worry about high blood pressure?</h3> <p>When your blood pressure stays high over time, it causes the heart to pump harder and work overtime, possibly leading to serious health problems such as <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/heartattack.html">heart attack</a>, <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/stroke.html">stroke</a>, <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/heartfailure.html">heart failure</a>, and <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/kidneyfailure.html">kidney failure</a>.</p> <h3>What are the treatments for high blood pressure?</h3> <p>Treatments for high blood pressure include <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/howtopreventhighbloodpressure.html">heart-healthy lifestyle changes</a> and <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/bloodpressuremedicines.html">medicines</a>.</p> <p>You will work with your provider to come up with a treatment plan. It may include only the lifestyle changes. These changes, such as heart-healthy eating and exercise, can be very effective. But sometimes the changes do not control or lower your high blood pressure. Then you may need to take medicine. There are different types of blood pressure medicines. Some people need to take more than one type.</p> <p>If your high blood pressure is caused by another medical condition or medicine, treating that condition or stopping the medicine may lower your blood pressure.</p> <p class="">NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute</p>

Hypertension is abnormally high blood pressure in the arteries, which are the blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to the rest of the body. As the heart beats, it forces blood through the arteries to deliver nutrients and oxygen to the rest of the body. The strength of the blood pushing against the artery walls is blood pressure, which is measured in units called millimeters of mercury (mmHg). The top number in a blood pressure reading is the pressure when the heart pumps (systolic blood pressure), and the bottom number is the pressure between heart beats (diastolic blood pressure). In adults, a normal blood pressure measurement is about 120/80 mmHg. Blood pressure is considered high when the measurement is 130/80 mmHg or greater.~Hypertension usually has no symptoms, and many affected individuals do not know they have the condition. However, hypertension is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and eye problems. When blood pressure is elevated, the heart and arteries have to work harder than normal to pump blood through the body. The extra work thickens the muscles of the heart and arteries and hardens or damages artery walls. As a result, the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart and other organs is reduced. Damage to the heart caused by the extra work and a lack of oxygen causes heart disease. In addition, damage to the arteries increases the risk of blood clots that block the flow of blood to the heart, causing a heart attack, or to the brain, causing a type of stroke known as an ischemic stroke. Another type of stroke, called a hemorrhagic stroke, can occur when a weakened blood vessel in the brain bursts. Damage to blood vessels in the kidneys impairs their ability to filter waste and remove fluid, leading to kidney failure. Problems with blood flow in the arteries of the eyes can lead to vision loss.~In rare cases, dangerously high blood pressure can cause severe headaches, confusion, shortness of breath, chest pain, or nosebleeds.~In about 95 percent of cases, the cause of hypertension is unknown. These cases are classified as essential hypertension. When hypertension results from an underlying condition, such as blood vessel defects that reduce blood flow; kidney disorders, which alter the amount of fluids and salts in the body; or problems with hormone-producing glands called the adrenal glands or the thyroid gland, it is classified as secondary hypertension. Hypertension is a key feature of some rare genetic disorders, including familial hyperaldosteronism, pseudohypoaldosteronism type 2, Liddle syndrome, and tumors known as paragangliomas.