Hypertension

Hypertension or high blood pressure is a medical condition where the blood pressure in the arteries is chronically elevated. While it is formally called arterial hypertension, the word "hypertension" without a qualifier usually refers to arterial hypertension.

Etiology

Essential hypertension

• Age. Over time, the number of collagen fibres in artery and arteriole walls increases, making blood vessels stiffer. With the reduced elasticity comes a smaller cross-sectional area in systole, and so a raised mean arterial blood pressure.
• High salt intake
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Tobacco smoking
• Alcohol abuse
• High levels of saturated fat in the diet
• Obesity. In obese subjects, losing a pound in weight generally reduces blood pressure by 1mmHg.
• Stress
• Low birth-weight
• Diabetes mellitus
• Various genetic causes

Inessential hypertension

• Pregnancy. (See below for full details).
• Kidney disease or renal artery stenosis
• Certain cancers
• Drugs. In particular, alcohol, nasal congestants with adrenergic effects, NSAIDs, MAOIs, adrenoceptor stimulants, and the contraceptive pill (ethinyl-estradiol) can cause hypertension while in use.
• Malformed aorta
• Slow pulse
• Anemia
• Fever
• Aortic valve disease