I.

Introduction
Hypertension is defined as a sustained elevation
of systemic arterial blood pressure. Individuals are
diagnosed as having hypertension when the average
of two or more blood pressure measurements made
on two or more consecutive clinical visits documents
a diastolic pressure of 90 mmHg or greater or a
systolic pressure of 140 mmHg or greater. Systolic
hypertension even when not accompanied by an
increase in diastolic pressure, is the most significant
factor in causing target ogan damage. A new
classification scheme was introduced in 2003 and is
presented in a table that will be showed later on.
"Optimal" blood pressure is associated with the
lowest cardiocascular risk, whereas those who fall
into the prehypertension category are at risk,
whereas those who fall into the prehypertension
category are at risk for developing hypertension
unless life-style modification is instituted. All stages
of hypertension are associated with the increased
risk for target organ disease events, such as
myocardial infarctionm kidney diseasem and stroke
thus both stage I and 2 hypertension need effective
long therm theraphy.
What causes hypertension?
It is caused by increases in cardiac output, total
peripheral resistance or both. Cardiac output is
increased by any condition that increases heart rate
or stroke volume, whereas peripheral resistance is

increased by any factor that increases blood viscosity

or reduces vessel diameter particularly arteriolar
diameter.
Individuals with hypertensive disease
may have combined systolic and diastolic
hypertension or isolated systolic hypertension. Most
cases of combined systolic and diastolic hypertension
have no known cause and therefore are diagnosed as
primary hypertension. It is also called essential or
idiopathic hypertension, affects 90% to 95% of
hypertensive individuals. Secondary hypertension is
caused by altered hemodynamics associated with a
primary disease, such as renal disease. Although
many diseases can cause secondary hypertension,
this form of hypertension accounts for only 5% to 8%
of cases. Isolated systolic hypertension is elevated
systolic blood pressure accompanied by normal
diastolic blood pressure. Isolated systolic
hypertension is a manifestation of increased cardiac
output of rigidity of the aorta or both.
TABLE
Hypertension Stage 2
Biography pictures