Hypertension (HTN) or
high blood pressure:
Hypertension (HTN) or high blood pressure, sometimes called arterial hypertension,
is a chronic medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is elevated.This
requires the heart to work harder than normal to circulate blood through the blood
vessels. Blood pressure is summarised by two measurements, systolic and diastolic,
which depend on whether the heart muscle is contracting (systole) or relaxed between
beats (diastole). Normal blood pressure at rest is within the range of 100-140mmHg
systolic (top reading) and 60-90mmHg diastolic (bottom reading). High blood pressure
is said to be present if it is persistently at or above 140/90 mmHg.
Hypertension is a major risk factor:
High blood pressure is called "the silent killer" because it often causes no symptoms
for many years, even decades, until it finally damages certain critical organs.
Poorly controlled high blood pressure ultimately can cause damage to blood vessels
in the eye, thickening of the heart muscle and heart attacks, hardening of the arteries
(arteriosclerosis), kidney failure, and strokes.
Dietary and lifestyle changes can improve blood pressure control and decrease the
risk of associated health complications, although drug treatment is often necessary
in people for whom lifestyle changes prove ineffective or insufficient.
About World Hypertension Day:
World Hypertension
Day has been established to highlight the preventable stroke, heart and kidney diseases
caused by high blood pressure and to communicate to the public information on prevention,
detection and treatment. Each year, May 17th is designated World Hypertension Day.
The objectives of the World Hypertension Day are to promote the detection,
control and prevention of arterial hypertension in population.
The theme for
World Hypertension
Day 2013 is Healthy
Heart Beat-Healthy Blood Pressure
See links below
for previous World Hypertension Days:
2012 ,
2011 ,
2010 ,
2009 ,
2008 ,
2007 ,
related News:
The theme for World Health
Day 2013 is high blood pressure:
related links:
http://www.worldhypertensionleague.org/