Check Your Blood Pressure
(Hypertension)
<<<Previous Illness Main Page Next Illness>>>
Hypertension/High blood pressure is greater among blacks than among
whites or Asians in the United states. High
blood pressure (hypertension) is interpreted as high pressure in the arteries.
The arteries are vessels that carry blood from the heart to all the
tissues and organs in the human body. There are two forms of high blood
pressure:
·
Essential
(Primary) Hypertension 
o More common condition
o
Cause is unknown
o Affects an estimated 75 million Americans
· Secondary Hypertension
o
Caused by an
abnormality in one of the organs or systems of the body
If the
blood pressure is higher than 140/90 mm Hg, doctors will usually start the
patient on an anti-hypertensive medication.
· Interpreting Blood Pressure Readings
o
The systolic blood
pressure (top number) represents pressure in arteries as the heart contracts and
pumps blood into the circulation.
o
The diastolic pressure
(bottom number) represents pressure in arteries as the heart relaxes after
contraction.