What is high blood pressure (hypertension)?
Hypertension is one of the leading medicinal problems faced by the world today. In simple terms, hypertension refers to the increased pressure of blood in the arteries. Arteries are the major blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to the various parts of the body. When the pressure of blood flowing in these arteries increases, it results in a condition known as hypertension.
Blood pressure of a medically fit person should be below 120/80. The number on top is the systolic blood pressure, which is the pressure on arteries when the heart contracts and pumps the blood. The bottom number represents the diastolic pressure, which is the arterial pressure when the heart relaxes after contraction. Blood pressure till 139/89 is known as pre-hypertension and exceeding 140/90 is considered to be high.
Hypertension is generally classified as:
• Essential or primary
• Secondary
