Hypertension or high blood pressure is a silent epidemic – a common condition especially in individuals over fifty years, this is mostly brought about by narrowing of blood vessels due to different causes.
This disease condition is fatal as it has no signs and symptoms unless it is extremely high.
Hypertension is classified into different categories and classifications;
a.) Types of hypertension:
- Whitecoat /labile hypertension – brought about by tension and anxiety that patients get when they visit medical facilities or medical measurement of their pressure and in a relaxed environment, they have normal pressure measurements.
- Essential /primary hypertension – blood pressure that has no know secondary cause. Risks include obesity, diet, lack of exercise, stress, etc.
- Secondary hypertension- high blood pressure due to a cause e.g., kidney disease, drugs/medicines, pregnancy heart disease. This type of pressure if the underlying cause is not managed it will always be high.
b.) Classification with regards to the standard reference:
| Blood pressure | SBP | DBP |
| CLASSIFICATION | mmHg | mmHg |
| Normal | <120 | <80 |
| Pre-hypertension | 120-139 | 80-89 |
| Stage 1 hypertension | 140-159 | 90-99 |
| Stage 2 hypertension | >160 | >100 |
Where SBP is systolic blood pressure and DBP is diastolic blood pressure
To be diagnosed with high blood pressure you need to have three consistent systolic readings of >140mmhg and diastolic readings of >90mmhg.
10.3 million people die of hypertension every year as it is a silent epidemic, that is why medical checkups of your blood pressure at least twice a week are important.
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We will continue discussing hypertension, be on the lookout for more information.
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