The Basics
Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
What is Hypertension? Learn how to measure and manage your blood pressure with diet, exercise, and medicines.
Medically Reviewed By:
Pending
Last Updated:
October 17th, 2022
I Want to Know…
01
What is High Blood Pressure?
02
What Causes High Blood Pressure?
03
How Do I Measure Blood Pressure?
04
What Issues Can High Blood Pressure Cause?
05
What Can I Do About High Blood Pressure?
06
How Can I Learn More About Hypertension?
01
What Is Hypertension?
Blood moves through our body to bring oxygen from our heart and lungs to our organs. Blood pushes on our vessels as it moves. We measure blood pressure as the pressure of blood pushing against the walls of our arteries.
Hypertension means high blood pressure. Your arteries may be too narrow, or your heart may be pumping too much blood. Over time, too much pressure can damage our vessels and organs.
Tip: 'Hyper-' in medicine means 'high' or 'too much'. And, '-tension' describes blood pressure. So, Hyper-Tension just means high blood pressure.
02
What Causes High Blood Pressure?
Most patients with high blood pressure have primary hypertension, also called essential hypertension. We don't know what causes essential hypertension, but there are a few risk factors.
For other patients, we know exactly what causes the high blood pressure. This is called secondary hypertension. Some common causes are kidney disease, hormones, supplements, and medication.
Risk Factors for High Blood Pressure
Age: As we grow older, our arteries become stiffer, or less compliant. This increases blood pressure.
Diet: Salt, saturated fat, cholestrol, and added sugars can increase our blood pressure. Nutrients like potassium, magnesium, and calcium can help lower blood pressure.
Genetics: Hypertension tends to run in families. Having parents or close relatives with high blood pressure can increase your risk.
03
How Do I Measure Blood Pressure?
We use a blood pressure cuff to measure blood pressure at home and at the doctor's office.
You or your health provider will place a cuff on your arm and inflate it. As the cuff lets air out, a doctor or nurse can listen to the sound of your blood pumping using a stethoscope.
At home, you can use an automatic or digital blood pressure monitor. This device inflates the cuff and measures blood pressure for you—no skill needed.
Guide
Measuring Your Blood Pressure at Home
Before: Empty your bladder and do not eat, drink, or exercise for 30 minutes before you test
During: Sit in a comfortable chair with your back supported and your feet planted flat on the floor. Rest your arm on a table at chest height and place the blood pressure cuff on your bare skin. Do not talk during the reading.
After: If you want to measure your blood pressure again, wait a few minutes. Repeating measurements can affect your reading.
White Coat Hypertension—For some patients, going to the doctor can cause anxiety and stress. These emotions increase our blood pressure. So, our blood pressure reading at the doctor's office might be higher than a relaxed reading at home. This effect is called White Coat Hypertension (named after doctors' white coats), and it is normal.
04
What Do the Numbers Mean?
Our heart is a pump, squeezing and expanding more than once every second.
So, blood pressure monitors usually give two numbers: the top is systolic (sometimes written as "sys") and represents the pressure while your heart is squeezing; the bottom number is called diastolic ("dia") and represents the pressure in-between beats.
Both numbers, systolic and diastolic, are important for understanding our blood pressure.
White Coat Hypertension—For some patients, goign to the doctor can cause anxiety and stress. These emotions increase our blood pressure,
White Coat Hypertension—For some patients, goign to the doctor can cause anxiety and stress. These emotions increase our blood pressure,
Guide
Measuring Your Blood Pressure at Home
Age: As we grow older, our arteries become stiffer, or less compliant. This increases blood pressure.
Diet: Salt, saturated fat, cholestrol, and added sugars can increase our blood pressure. Nutrients like potassium, magnesium, and calcium can help lower blood pressure.
Genetics: Hypertension tends to run in families. Having parents or close relatives with high blood pressure can increase your risk.