Hypertension

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a chronic condition where your blood pressure is consistently higher than a normal blood pressure range (120/80). Blood pressure is the force of your blood against your artery walls as your blood is pumped through your body. When the force is too high, you can develop hypertension.

Wherever you are in your high blood pressure journey, we're here to help. Our providers can help with treatment options, lifestyle changes and symptom management.

High Blood Pressure Overview: Causes and Symptoms

Age is one of the most determining factors of developing high blood pressure. As we age, our blood vessels stiffen and our heart has to do more work to pump blood throughout the body. Other factors like hormone levels, the health of your kidneys and the balance of water and salt in the body affect your chance of developing high blood pressure.

Genetic and lifestyle habits also increase your risk of developing hypertension. Your risk also increases if you're African American.

Common risk factors can include:

• Diabetes
• Elevated stress or anxiety levels
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Family history of hypertension
• High salt consumption
• Obesity
• Smoking

High blood pressure raises the risk of serious health conditions, including stroke, heart attack, heart failure and kidney disease.

Hypertension Symptoms

Most people don’t have any symptoms of high blood pressure. It's often discovered during routine checkups or after developing another condition like heart disease or kidney problems.

If high blood pressure is severe enough, it can cause severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, confusion, vision changes and nosebleeds. These symptoms are often a sign of malignant hypertension, a life-threatening condition if left untreated. Malignant hypertension can also cause severe damage to your vital organs and small blood vessels. If you find yourself experiencing any of the above symptoms, call 911 or seek medical attention immediately.

Blood Pressure Types and Categories

When blood pressure is measured, it's expressed as a ratio of two numbers: systolic blood pressure (first number) and diastolic blood pressure (second number). It's also broken down into three categories depending on the level of your blood pressure numbers:

• Normal blood pressure: Consistently lower than 120/80
• Prehypertension: Readings of 120/80 or higher but below 140/90
• Hypertension (high blood pressure): Readings of 140/90 or above most of the time

There are also two categories of hypertension:

• Primary hypertension: This type of hypertension is the most common and has no single medical cause.
• Secondary hypertension: This type of hypertension develops due to underlying medical conditions (kidney disease, adrenal gland disorders, pregnancy, renal artery stenosis or hyperparathyroidism) or because of certain medications (birth control, diet pills or cold medicine).

Receiving a High Blood Pressure Diagnosis

For someone with a normal blood pressure reading of 120/80, blood pressure screening is generally recommended every one to two years. Those with high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease or kidney disease should have their blood pressure checked every year. If you’re at a higher risk for hypertension, your provider might also recommend more frequent blood pressure checks.

A diagnosis of hypertension is typically not based on a single reading. Your doctor will take multiple blood pressure measurements, as blood pressure naturally varies and may change depending on the time of day.

If lifestyle changes aren't enough to keep your blood pressure at a healthy level, medication may be an option. There are a variety of medications that can be used to manage hypertension, and you'll most likely need to take a couple of different medications to achieve lower blood pressure levels.

At-Home Blood Pressure Monitors

At-home blood pressure monitors are a great way to manage your blood pressure levels with frequent monitoring. However, not all blood pressure monitors are created equally. If you're looking to purchase a monitor, ensure you're buying the right sized cuff and that there's a clear digital readout. Bring your blood pressure monitor to your doctor's appointment so your provider can ensure you're using it correctly.