According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, blood pressure is the force of blood acting on the walls of your arteries as the pumping action of your heart circulates blood throughout your body. A blood pressure reading is given in millimeters of mercury. It has a systolic component, which measures the pressure when your heart is beating, and a diastolic component, which measures the pressure between beats. If your systolic number is 140 or higher or your diastolic number is 90 or higher, you have high blood pressure, or hypertension.
Essential High Blood Pressure
In cases of essential high blood pressure, your doctor cannot identify a cause for your condition, according to the National Health Service in England. There are, however, risk factors that predispose you to essential high blood pressure. As you get older, your chances of developing high blood pressure increase. In addition, you are more likely to have high blood pressure if members of your immediate family have the disease. Lifestyle factors such as obesity, smoking, lack of exercise, and intemperate use of alcoholic beverages increase the probability that you will get essential high blood pressure. Finally, elements of your diet, such as excessive use of salt and chronic consumption of high-fat foods, can contribute to an increased risk of hypertension.
Secondary High Blood Pressure
According to the National Health Service in England, about five percent of cases of high blood pressure stem from a disease state or a traceable cause. These cases are classified as secondary high blood pressure. You may develop hypertension because you have kidney disease or a kidney infection or because your arteries have become narrow due to atherosclerosis. You can also develop high blood pressure because of an adrenal gland condition called Cushing's Syndrome in which you have high levels of the hormone cortisol in your blood, says the National Health Service in England.
Medications such as oral contraceptives and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen can lead to secondary high blood pressure. The condition can also be caused by consumption of excessive amounts of alcohol and the use of illegal drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines.
Isolated Systolic Hypertension
If the top number of your blood pressure reading is greater than 140 millimeters of mercury and the bottom number is less than 90, you have a common type of high blood pressure called isolated systolic hypertension, says the Mayo Clinic. This type of high blood pressure can result from medical conditions such as a leaky heart valve or an overactive thyroid gland. If left untreated, isolated systolic hypertension can lead to heart attack, stroke, chronic kidney disease, or dementia.
