3-1

MediFocus MedCenter ©

Hypertension
(NK007)

Introduction


High blood pressure, also called hypertension (HTN) occurs when the body's smaller blood vessels (arterioles) narrow, causing the blood to exert excessive pressure against the vessel walls. The heart must therefore work harder to maintain the higher pressure. Over time, damage to the brain, eye and kidney can result ("target organ damage").

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in the United States. The most significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease is hypertension. High blood pressure is the key risk factor for stroke, heart attack, heart failure, kidney disease, and mortality.

Essential or primary hypertension means that there is no underlying condition that is causing the blood pressure to increase. Up to 95% of hypertension is the essential type. When an underlying cause is detected, the elevated blood pressure is considered to be secondary hypertension.

Unless blood pressure readings are very high, initial efforts at controlling blood pressure in essential hypertension are usually based on lifestyle changes. These include weight loss (if appropriate), exercise, dietary changes, and stress reduction. The goal of hypertensive treatment is to reduce overall cardiovascular disease risk and thus its morbidity and mortality.

More aggressive control of blood pressure is recommended for persons with comorbid conditions such as diabetes or renal (kidney) insufficiency.

MediFocus Guides... When You Need Trustworthy Medical Information


The Medifocus Guide on Hypertension provides answers to the following important questions and medical issues:


What Your Doctor Reads:


This MediFocus Guide contains an extensive listing of citations and abstracts of recent journal articles that have been published about this condition in trustworthy medical journals. This is the same type of information that is available to physicians and other health care professionals. A partial selection of journal articles that are abstracted in this MediFocus Guide includes:


MediFocus Guides... When You Need Trustworthy Medical Information


MediFocus.com understands that consumers who are facing serious medical issues need access to credible, up-to-date medical information to help them make informed health-care decisions. That's why we've developed the MediFocus Guides...the most advanced and trustworthy patient research guides for over 200 chronic and life-threatening conditions. Each MediFocus Guide includes a detailed overview of the condition including information about diagnosis, treatment options, cutting-edge research, and new developments; excerpts of important journal articles from the current medical literature focusing on standard treatments and treatment options; a directory of leading authors and medical institutions who specialize in the treatment of the condition; and a listing of organizations and support groups where you can obtain additional information about the illness.

MediFocus Guides are the perfect solution for consumers who wish to gain an in-depth understanding of their medical issue and avail themselves of the same type of professional level medical information that is used by physicians and other health-care professionals to help then in the clinical decision making process.

© Copyright 2000-2001 Medifocus.com, Inc. All rights reserved.


Return to the MedFocus Medical Center Main Directory