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Hypertension (elevated blood pressure) refers to sustained high blood pressure in the arteries. A systolic blood pressure greater than 140 mmHg or a diastolic blood pressure higher than 90 mmHg (millimeters of mercury) is classified as hypertensive. The elevated arterial pressure requires the heart to use more energy to pump; this can eventually lead to myocardial infarction (heart attack) or heart failure. Individuals with hypertension are at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease and have a shorter life expectancy. Hypertension or high blood pressure cannot be attributed to any one identifiable cause. Some causes include diet, lack of exercise, stress, metabolic defects, and heredity factors. A more complete list is displayed in the figure below. Hypertension is more common in industrialized societies (Fig. 1).
Risk factors for elevated blood pressure
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References and Readings
Carretero, O. A., & Oparil, S. (2000). Essential hypertension, Part 1: Definition and etiology. Circulation, 101, 329–335.
Vanden, A. J., Sherman, J. H., & Luciano, D. S. (2001). Human physiology: Mechanisms of body function. New York: McGraw-Hill.
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Ginty, A.T. (2013). Blood Pressure, Elevated. In: Gellman, M.D., Turner, J.R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9_443
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9_443
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