Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

What Is Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)?

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a common medical condition where the force of blood against your artery walls is consistently too high. This makes the heart work harder to pump blood and can damage arteries over time. For many, hypertension develops over years without a clear cause, though lifestyle and genetic factors play a significant role. Because it often has no symptoms, it is known as the "silent killer". The only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to have it measured regularly.

Prevalence and Age Distribution

• Hypertension prevalence increases significantly with age. Data from August 2021-August 2023 shows a prevalence of 47.7% in adults, with age-specific rates of 23.4% (18-39), 52.5% (40-59), and 71.6% (60+). This trend of rising blood pressure with age is a progressive and consistent pattern observed across various populations and is linked to declining physical activity and increasing body weight.

Common Symptoms

• Headaches: Usually mild to moderate and occur in the morning or after physical exertion.

• Shortness of breath: Especially during exercise or exertion.

• Chest pain: May indicate a heart attack or other serious condition.

• Nosebleeds: Frequent or unexplained nosebleeds.

• Fatigue: Feeling tired or weak.

• Dizziness or lightheadedness: Can be caused by reduced blood flow to the brain.

• Blurred vision: In severe cases.

• Confusion: In very high blood pressure (hypertensive crisis).