Who Is Affected by Hypertension?

Hypertension is a condition in which blood pressure is chronically elevated. If blood pressure is too high, the heart has to work harder to pump. Hypertension can be dangerous because it may cause hardening of the arteries, stroke, kidney disease and the development of heart failure. A reading of 140/90 or higher is considered high blood pressure.

The Facts

• Hypertension is a very common condition. It is known as the silent killer because it often has no symptoms and can lead to very serious health problems if it isn't treated. Damage to blood vessels can take years to develop. Blood pressure is constantly varying. For this reason, your doctor won't diagnose you with high blood pressure unless repeated measurements are consistently high.

Significance

• According the American Heart Association, more than 73 million Americans age 20 and older have high blood pressure. This condition affects approximately one in three adults. According to the Center for Disease Control, about 90 percent of middle-aged adults will develop hypertension sometime in their lifetime.

Considerations

• Hypertension is more likely to affect men than women. Blacks are more likely to be affected than whites. In more than 90 percent of hypertension cases in adults, the cause isn't known. A small percentage of cases have an identifiable cause, such as kidney problems, tumors of the adrenal gland, heart defects and certain medications, such as birth-control pills.

Risk Factors

• There are a lot of risk factors associated with hypertension, such as smoking, eating a diet that is high in fat and leading a sedentary life. People who drink heavily or are overweight and stressed are at a high risk of developing hypertension. There is some evidence that genetics may play a role in developing this condition. As you age, the risk of high blood pressure increases. Certain chronic conditions are also risk factors, including diabetes, high cholesterol and kidney disease.

Solution

• Hypertension can't be cured but it can be controlled. Controlling blood pressure may involve medication and lifestyle changes. Some examples of lifestyle changes include eating less table salt and fat, quitting smoking, losing weight and becoming more active. If lifestyle changes don't bring your blood pressure under control, your doctor may prescribe medication. Regular checkups are an important part of keeping blood pressure under control.