Hypertension:The Basics.

Hypertension (also known as elevated blood pressure or raised blood pressure or high blood pressure) is one of the biggest medical challenges faced by health care professionals worldwide.

Hypertension is a serious medical condition in which the blood pressure is chronically elevated. A person's blood pressure refers to the force of the blood pushing against the arteries (vessels that carry blood away from the heart ). Blood is pumped into the arteries with each heartbeat and the pressure, which is greatest at this time, is known as systolic pressure. In between heartbeats, the blood pressure falls and this pressure is known as diastolic pressure. The systolic pressure is usually the higher of the 2 pressures. A blood pressure reading has two numbers. The first or upper number measures the systolic pressure. The second, or lower number, measures the diastolic pressure.

Hypertension is defined as a systolic pressure of greater than or equal to 140mmhg, a diastolic pressure greater than or equal to 90mmhg, or both. These values are obtained after measurements by a health care professional using a sphygmomanometer.

A systolic blood pressure of less than 120mmhg and a diastolic pressure of less than 90mmhg are generally considered as normal.

PRE-HYPERTENSION- is a term used to suggest the likelihood of developing hypertension in the future and is typified by systolic blood pressure levels of 120-139mmhg and diastolic blood pressure levels of 80-89mmhg.

Hypertension was formerly classified as MILD, MODERATE and SEVERE. The current practice as recommended by The Sixth Report Of The Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC IV) is to classify hypertension into mutually exclusive categories called GRADES or STAGES.

Stage 1 Hypertension is defined as systolic pressure levels of 140-149mmhg and a diastolic blood pressure levels of 90-99mmhg.

Stage 2 Hypertension is defined as systolic pressure levels of 160-179mmhg and a diastolic pressure levels of 100-109mmhg.

Stage 3 Hypertension is defined as a systolic pressure greater than 180mmhg and a diastolic pressure greater than 110mmhg.

White coat hypertension - refers to a phenomenon in which a patients blood pressure is raised in a clinical setting but not when recorded by themselves at home. It may result in a wrong diagnosis of hypertension.

Measuring the blood pressure on two separate occasions after the patient is calm and relaxed will help in making a correct diagnosis of hypertension.