Is Hypertension High Blood Pressure?

Hypertension Vs High Blood Pressure

The answer to the question is hypertension high blood pressure is yes. The terms are interchangeable. The word hyper means excessive, and the word tension means force. The force being referred to is the force exerted by blood against the walls of your blood vessels as it circulates through your body. Blood pressure is a measurement of that force, so the word hypertension can be loosely translated as high blood pressure.

Doctors have known for a long time that high blood pressure risks are significant, and in recent years hypertension has gotten a lot of coverage in the mass media. Yet many people don't really understand exactly what high blood pressure is, what causes it, and what the symptoms of high blood pressure are.  

Blood pressure is a measurement of the force exerted by the blood against the blood vessel walls. High blood pressure or hypertension causes the heart to work harder because it's more difficult to force blood through the circulatory system. Over time, this can result in severe damage to the heart's muscle and tissue. It also contributes to hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis. Click on high blood pressure causes to learn more about the main causes of elevated blood pressure.

Someone with hypertension or high blood pressure has a higher risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke. Furthermore, elevated blood pressure can lead to kidney disease or severe eye damage resulting in loss of vision.

In the United States, almost 70 percent of people over the age of 65 have high blood pressure. It's also common for people of all ages who are overweight. A number of primary hypertension risk factors have been identified, although the exact causes are still somewhat mysterious. People who don't get much exercise and eat poor diets are likely to get high blood pressure. Heredity also seems to play a role.

Hypertension can often be controlled with medications, but lifestyle changes are the best "prescription" for long term overall health.

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