Hypertension: High Blood Pressure Facts and Causes
Author: Disabled World (DW)
Updated/Revised Date: 3 Nov 2026
Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - About This Section - FAQs - Publications - Subtopics
Synopsis
Learn about hypertension, or high blood pressure, including its causes, risk factors, symptoms, complications, medications, and key facts and statistics.
At a Glance
- 1 - Over 91 percent of adult hypertension has no clear cause and is called essential or primary hypertension.
- 2 - Blood pressure is measured with two numbers, systolic and diastolic, reflecting when the heart contracts and relaxes.
- 3 - As arteries age, more collagen fibers stiffen the vessel walls, reducing elasticity and raising mean arterial blood pressure.
- 4 - In the United States, high blood pressure is now defined as readings at or above 130/80 mmHg, while many other countries still use 140/90 mmHg.
Topic Definition
- Hypertension
Hypertension, also called high blood pressure or arterial hypertension, is a chronic condition in which the pressure of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries stays elevated over time. It is described by two numbers, systolic pressure when the heart contracts and diastolic pressure when it relaxes between beats, and it is generally considered present when readings are often at or above 130/80 mmHg in the United States, or 140/90 mmHg in many other countries. Doctors divide it into essential or primary hypertension, which has no single identifiable cause and accounts for the large majority of cases, and secondary hypertension, which stems from another condition such as kidney disease or certain tumors. Often called a silent condition because it usually produces no symptoms until an advanced stage, hypertension can quietly damage the blood vessels and heart for years, which is why screening, healthy lifestyle changes, and, when needed, medication are central to managing it and lowering the risk of complications like heart attack and stroke.
Overview
In current usage, the word hypertension without a qualifier normally refers to arterial hypertension. Arteries are vessels that carry blood from the pumping heart to all the tissues and organs of the body. Hypertension can be classified as either essential (primary) or secondary:
- Essential hypertension indicates that no specific medical cause can be found to explain a patient's condition.
- Secondary hypertension indicates that the high blood pressure is a result of (i.e., secondary to) another condition, such as kidney disease or tumors (pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma).
Hypertension risk factors include obesity, drinking too much alcohol, smoking, and family history. In the United States, guidelines from the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology define hypertension as a systolic blood pressure consistently 130 mm Hg or greater or a diastolic blood pressure consistently 80 mm Hg or greater; many other countries use 140/90 mm Hg. (see our blood pressure reading chart)
Although no specific medical cause can be determined in essential hypertension, it often has several contributing factors. These include obesity, salt sensitivity, renin homeostasis, insulin resistance, genetics, and age. Over time, the number of collagen fibers in artery and arteriole walls increases, making blood vessels stiffer. With the reduced elasticity comes a smaller cross-sectional area in systole, with a raised mean arterial blood pressure.
Over 91% of adult hypertension has no clear cause and is therefore called essential/primary hypertension. Typically, it is part of the metabolic "syndrome X" in patients with insulin resistance: it occurs with diabetes mellitus (type 2), combined hyperlipidemia, and central obesity.
Pulmonary Hypertension
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is an increase in blood pressure in the pulmonary artery, pulmonary vein, or pulmonary capillaries, together known as the lung vasculature, leading to shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting, and other symptoms, all of which are exacerbated by exertion. Pulmonary hypertension can be a severe disease with markedly decreased exercise tolerance and heart failure. The degree to which hypertension can be prevented depends on several features, including:
- Current blood pressure level
- Changes in end/target organs (retina, kidney, heart - among others)
- Risk factors for cardiovascular diseases
- The age at presentation.
Nearly half of adults in the United States have high blood pressure, and worldwide about 1.4 billion adults aged 30 to 79, or 33 percent, had hypertension in 2024, according to the World Health Organization, and about 44 percent of them do not know it. High blood pressure also affects children and teens, and many are underdiagnosed. Hypertension is a major public health problem.
What Causes High Blood Pressure?
A diagnosis of high blood pressure is based on the average of two or more readings taken on two or more occasions; only one of the two numbers, systolic or diastolic, needs to be above the healthy range. For many people with higher than normal blood pressure, there is no obvious cause for their blood pressure being high. Some factors that may contribute to high BP include:
- Aging
- Stress
- Smoking
- Genetics
- Sleep apnea
- Too much salt
- Being overweight
- Lack of exercise
- Chronic kidney disease
- Adrenal and thyroid disorders
- High average alcohol consumption
- Family history of high blood pressure
Signs of high blood pressure include headache, dizziness, pounding in the ears, and a bloody nose. These symptoms typically don't occur until high blood pressure has reached an advanced and even a possibly life-threatening stage.
Symptoms of a Heart Attack
The heart requires blood to bring oxygen and nutrients to its muscle tissue. The narrowing of the arteries due to blockage can cause high blood pressure. If this blockage occurs in the heart and coronary arteries, heart muscle damage can result in a heart attack.
Some heart attacks are sudden and intense. However, most heart attacks start slowly with mild pain and discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and returns. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain. Shortness of breath may occur, as well as nausea or lightheadedness. It is vital to get help immediately if any of these symptoms occur.
Blood Pressure Medications
There are several types of blood pressure medications, and if one doesn't work, ask your doctor to switch to another until your blood pressure becomes stable.
- Adalat: A dihydropyridine calcium blocker. It is mostly used for treating hypertension and Angina Pectoris. It is also used for Raynaud's phenomenon. Brand names of the drug include Procardia and Nifedical.
- Aldactone: While regularly prescribed for high-blood-pressure patients, the drug can also be prescribed with other drugs. However, the drug is useful for controlling, rather than curing, high blood pressure.
Facts
- Uncontrolled high blood pressure increases your risk of serious health problems, including heart attack and stroke.
- Hypertension is rarely accompanied by any symptoms, and its identification is usually through screening or seeking healthcare for an unrelated problem.
- The first line of treatment for hypertension is identical to the recommended preventive lifestyle changes and includes dietary changes, physical exercise, and weight loss.
- You can have high blood pressure (hypertension) for years without any symptoms. Even without symptoms, damage to blood vessels and your heart continues and can be detected.
Statistics
- The number of adults with hypertension worldwide doubled from 650 million in 1990 to 1.3 billion in 2019, about 33% of adults aged 30 to 79, according to the World Health Organization.
- Hypertension is more common in men (though menopause tends to decrease this difference) and in those of low socioeconomic status.
- Nearly half of US adults, about 120 million people, have hypertension under the current 130/80 mmHg definition, according to the CDC, and rates are highest among Black adults.
- Rates vary markedly in different regions, with rates as low as 3.4% (men) and 6.8% (women) in rural India and as high as 68.9% (men) and 72.5% (women) in Poland. In Europe, hypertension occurs in about 30 - 45% of people as of 2013.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is considered a normal blood pressure reading?
The American Heart Association defines normal blood pressure as less than 120 mmHg systolic and less than 80 mmHg diastolic. Readings of 120 to 129 systolic are called elevated, and 130/80 or higher is high blood pressure, though targets can vary by individual, so check with your doctor.
Can hypertension be prevented?
Many cases can be prevented or delayed through healthy habits such as a balanced low salt diet, regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and limiting alcohol and tobacco.
Why is high blood pressure called the silent killer?
It is called that because it often causes no noticeable symptoms while still damaging the heart and blood vessels, raising the risk of serious events like stroke.
How often should I check my blood pressure?
Frequency depends on your health and risk, so people with normal readings may check periodically, while those with hypertension may need to monitor more often as advised by a doctor.
Does hypertension always require medication?
Not always, since mild cases may be managed with lifestyle changes first, but many people need medication alongside those changes to keep blood pressure controlled.
Can young people and children get high blood pressure?
Yes, high blood pressure can affect teens and children, and it is often underdiagnosed, which is why regular checkups are important for younger age groups too.
Can stress raise blood pressure?
Stress can cause temporary spikes in blood pressure and may contribute to unhealthy habits, so managing stress is a helpful part of overall blood pressure control.
What is the DASH diet?
DASH, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, is an eating plan rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy, with less salt, red meat, and sugar. It can lower blood pressure within a few weeks.
Curated and edited by Ian C. Langtree, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Disabled World. This section is maintained by the Disabled World editorial team. Last updated: