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Essential hypertension    See images

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Alternative names:

Hypertension - essential

Definition:

As blood is pumped through your body, it exerts pressure on the walls of your arteries. The systolic blood pressure is the pressure when the heart contracts, and the diastolic blood pressure is when the heart relaxes.

High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is when the systolic pressure is consistently over 140 mm Hg, or the diastolic blood pressure is consistently over 90 mm Hg. The term "essential hypertension" means that your high blood pressure has no identifiable cause.

Causes and Risks

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 the water volume in the body; salt content of the body; condition of the kidneys, nervous system, or blood vessels; and various hormone levels in the body.

Black persons of both sexes and Caucasian males have a higher incidence of significant hypertension. While essential hypertension has no correctable cause, some genetic factors have been identified.

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