Hypertension - The Silent Killer

Basically hypertension is high blood pressure that is above normal levels consistently for more than about 6 months. Common symptoms of hypertension are listed below, these are often varied and difficult to diagnose. The only real way to know if you have hypertension is to have you blood pressure checked, most doctors do this as part of a normal examination.
Blood Pressure Levels above 140/90 are considered 'high'.
Systolic is the top number. Diastolic is the bottom number. (see blue info box below)

Hypertension puts a strain on the heart by increasing its need for oxygen making it work harder than normal, over time this also causes the walls of the arteries harden. Hypertension is a major health problem, especially because it has no obvious symptoms. Many people have hypertension without showing any obvious symptoms. If you do not know your blood pressure, you should have it taken.

People with high blood pressure often do not feel sick. In fact, hypertension is often called "the silent killer" because it may cause no symptoms at all for a long time. Your organs and tissues can be damaged by hypertension without you knowing or feeling any 'external' symptoms.

If you have hypertension, then you will have a higher risk for heart disease and other medical problems than people with normal blood pressure. Serious complications can be avoided by getting regular blood pressure checks and treating hypertension as soon as it is diagnosed.
Definitions of blood pressure numbers - Systolic pressure is the force of blood in the arteries as the heart beats. It is shown as the top number in a blood pressure reading. Diastolic pressure is the force of blood in the arteries as the heart relaxes between beats. It's shown as the bottom number in a blood pressure reading. Hypertension is more common in men than women and it's also more common in people over the age of 65 than it is in younger people. Also, hypertension can run in families, and you are more likely to be affected if your close relatives have the condition.

There are two main types of hypertension
If you have hypertension and have no easily identifiable cause you're considered to have primary essential hypertension, while if you have a specific gene or organ directly responsible for your hypertension then you have a secondary hypertension.

The most serious type of hypertension is called Malignant hypertension. This is a particularly severe form of high blood pressure where the pressure level is at least 210/120 mm Hg. It occurs in only about 1 of 200 people who have high blood pressure. This type of hypertension is several times more common among blacks than among whites, among men than among women, and among people in poorer economic groups.

Malignant hypertension may produce a variety of severe symptoms. If untreated, malignant hypertension usually leads to death in 3 to 6 months.