Definition | High blood pressure – Hypertension

High blood pressure is an increase pathological of the blood pressure. We talk about hypertension when the systolic pressure is greater than 140 millimeters from mercury or when the diastolic pressure is greater than 90 millimeters of mercury. According toInserm, one in three adults is affected by hypertension in France. It would be the first preventable cause ofstroke (AVC).

Thehigh blood pressure chronic is a risk factor cardiovascular, which is why it should be treated. Hypertension tires the heart and damages arteries, because it increases the resistance peripheral: this forces the heart to work more, which can lead to its hypertrophy. High blood pressure promotesheart failure, vascular disease (atherosclerosis), therenal failure and stroke.

Diagnosis and treatment of high blood pressure

Thehypertension may be asymptomatic. It is often detected during a medical consultation, with the measurement of arterial pressure. A self-measurement of blood pressure, at health home, can be offered to the patient to check that there is no white coat effect: some people have their blood pressure which increases only in the doctor's office, because of the stress. High blood pressure is sometimes accompanied by other symptoms like headache, nervousness, insomnia or bleeding from nose. The doctor may request other medical examinations to complete the diagnostic : blood tests, electrocardiogram…

High blood pressure is treated with medication antihypertensive like the diuretics, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers or some converting enzyme inhibitors. Several factors favor high blood pressure:obesity, too salty food, age, factors hereditary, smoking, stress … Treatment must therefore also be accompanied by changes in style lifestyle: balanced diet, smoking cessation, weight loss, physical exercise, stress management…

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