Synonyms
Definition
A medical condition in which arterial blood pressure remains abnormally elevated, classically >140/90 mmHg.
Introduction
The development of a maladaptive health disorder may seem counterintuitive to the evolution and fitness of a species; however, pathologies such as hypertension are the result of a biological response to inadequate environments that may have been in favor of survival for previous generations.
Blood Pressure
All organ systems within the body receive energy and oxygen via blood transportation; in larger animals and humans, this transportation requires a significant vascular system to deliver these nutrients to the furthest organs and tissues (Weder 2007). The strength of the blood pressing against arterial walls is defined as blood pressure, and this pressure rises and falls with the heart’s synchronous pumping as it is forced through the cardiovascular system. Blood pressure is measured at its maximum, during...
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References
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Lalonde, C. (2018). Hypertension. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_731-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_731-1
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