Hypertension is the term used to describe high blood pressure.
Blood pressure is a measurement of the force against the walls of your arteries as the heart pumps blood through the body.
The top number is called the systolic blood pressure, and the bottom number is called the diastolic blood pressure.
- Normal blood pressure is when blood pressure is lower than 120/80 mmHg most of the time.
- High blood pressure (hypertension) is when blood pressure is 140/90 mmHg or above most of the time.
- If your blood pressure numbers are 120/80 or higher, but below 140/90, it is called pre-hypertension.
- Many factors can affect blood pressure, including:
- How much water and salt you have in your body
- The condition of your kidneys, nervous system, or blood vessels
- The levels of different body hormones
Most of the time, there are no symptoms. Symptoms that may occur include:
- Confusion
- Ear noise or buzzing
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Irregular heartbeat
- Nosebleed
- Vision changes