Patient Education - Endocrine Encyclopedia
Endocrine Surgery Encyclopedia
Definition:
Hypertension means high blood pressure. This generally means:
Systolic blood pressure is consistently over 140 (systolic is the "top" number
of your blood pressure measurement, which represents the pressure generated when
the heart beats)
Diastolic blood pressure is consistently over 90 (diastolic is the "bottom" number
of your blood pressure measurement, which represents the pressure in the vessels
when the heart is at rest)
Either or both of these numbers may be too high.
Pre-hypertension is when your systolic blood pressure is between 120 and 139 or
your diastolic blood pressure is between 80 and 89 on multiple readings. If you have
pre-hypertension, you are likely to develop high blood pressure at some point. Therefore,
your doctor will recommend lifestyle changes to bring your blood pressure down to
normal range.
Alternative Names:
High blood pressure
 Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
Blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood pumped by the heart, and the
size and condition of the arteries. Many other factors can affect blood pressure,
including volume of water in the body; salt content of the body; condition of the
kidneys, nervous system, or blood vessels; and levels of various hormones in the
body.
Essential hypertension has no identifiable cause. It may be caused by genetics,
environmental factors, or even diet, such as how much salt you use.
"Secondary" hypertension is high blood pressure caused by another disorder.
This may include:
- adrenal gland tumors
- Cushing's syndrome
- kidney disorders
- glomerulonephritis (inflammation of kidneys)
- renal vascular obstruction or narrowing
- renal failure
- use of medications, drugs, or other chemicals
- oral contraceptives
- hemolytic-uremic syndrome
- Henoch-Schonlein purpura
- periarteritis nodosa
- radiation enteritis
- retroperitoneal fibrosis
- Wilms' tumor
Symptoms:
Usually, no symptoms are present. Occasionally, you may experience a mild headache.
If your headache is severe, or if you experience any of the symptoms below, you must
be seen by a doctor right away. These may be a sign of dangerously high blood pressure
(called malignant hypertension) or a complication from high blood pressure.
- tiredness
- confusion
- vision changes
- angina-like chest pain (crushing chest pain)
- heart failure
- blood in urine
- nosebleed
- irregular heartbeat
- ear noise or buzzing
Signs and tests:
Hypertension may be suspected when the blood pressure is high at any single measurement.
It is confirmed through blood pressure measurements that are repeated over time.
Blood pressure consistently elevated over 140 systolic or 90 diastolic is called
hypertension. Your doctor will look for signs of complications to your heart, kidneys,
eyes, and other organs in your body.
Systolic blood pressure consistently between 130 and 139 or diastolic blood pressure
consistently between 80 and 89 is called pre-hypertension. Your doctor will recommend
and encourage lifestyle changes including weight loss, exercise, and nutritional
changes.
Tests for suspected causes and complications may be performed. These are guided
by the symptoms presented, history, and results of examination.
Treatment:
The goal of treatment is to reduce blood pressure to a level where there is decreased
risk of complications. Treatment may occur at home with close supervision by the
health care provider, or may occur in the hospital.
Medications may include diuretics, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, angiotensin-converting
enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), or alpha blockers.
Medications such as hydralazine, minoxidil, diazoxide, or nitroprusside may be required
if the blood pressure is very high.
Have your blood pressure checked at regular intervals (as often as recommended
by your doctor.)
Lifestyle changes may reduce high blood pressure, including weight loss, exercise,
and dietary adjustments (see "Prevention").
Support Groups:
Expectations (prognosis):
Hypertension is controllable with treatment. It requires lifelong monitoring, and
the treatment may require adjustments periodically.
Complications:
- hypertensive heart disease
- heart attacks
- congestive heart failure
- blood vessel damage (arteriosclerosis)
- aortic dissection
- kidney damage
- kidney failure
- stroke
- brain damage
- loss of vision
Calling your health care provider:
Even if you have not been diagnosed with high blood pressure, it is important to
have your blood pressure checked at annual exams, especially if you have a history
of high blood pressure in your family.
If you have high blood pressure, you will have regularly scheduled appointments
with your doctor.
In between appointments, if you have any of the symptoms listed below or your
blood pressure remains high even with treatment (this assumes the use of a home blood
pressure monitor), then call your doctor right away.
- Severe headache
- Excessive tiredness
- Confusion
- Visual changes
- Nausea and vomiting
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Significant sweating
Prevention:
Lifestyle changes may help control high blood pressure:
- Lose weight if you are overweight. Excess weight adds to strain on the heart.
In some cases, weight loss may be the only treatment needed.
- Exercise to help your heart.
- Adjust your diet as needed. Decrease fat and sodium -- salt, MSG, and baking
soda all contain sodium. Increase fruits, vegetables, and fiber.
- Follow your health care provider's recommendations to modify, treat, or control
possible causes of secondary hypertension.
References:
Wang Y, Wang QJ. The prevalence of prehypertension and hypertension among US adults
according to the new joint national committee guidelines: new challenges of the old
problem. Arch Intern Med. 2004;164(19):2126-34.
Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation,
and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC 7). Rockville, Md. National Heart, Lung,
and Blood Institute, US Department of Health and Human Services; August 2004. National
Institutes of Health Publication No. 04-5230.
Eyre H, Kahn R, Robertson RM, et al. Preventing cancer, cardiovascular disease,
and diabetes: A common agenda for the American Cancer Society, the American Diabetes
Association, and the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2004;109(25):3244-55.
Whelton PK, He J, Appel LJ, et al. Primary prevention of hypertension: Clinical
and public health advisory from The National High Blood Pressure Education Program.
JAMA. 2002;288(15):1882-8.
Review Date: 6/13/2005
Reviewed By: Nader Najafian, M.D., Associate Physician, Renal Division, Brigham & Women's
Hospital, Instructor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Review provided
by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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