Hypertension — High
Blood Pressure — High Blood Pressure Symptoms
Medical Dictionary
Hypertension is an insidious disease. Because
it has no symptoms or warning signs, 30% of the
people who have the condition don't realize it.
This medical dictionary covers the terms used
in the report, Hypertension: Controlling
the 'Silent Killer', and includes details
on hypertension and blood pressure symptoms,
treatment, causes, medications, and tests.
aldosterone: A hormone secreted
by the adrenal glands that signals the kidneys
to conserve sodium and water; the result is higher
blood pressure.
angiotensin: A protein that
increases blood pressure by constricting blood
vessels and stimulating the release of aldosterone.
The inactive form is angiotensin I, and the active
form is angiotensin II.
antihypertensives: Medications
used to treat high blood pressure.
arterial resistance: The pressure
that the artery walls exert on blood flow; in
general, the less elastic the arteries, the greater
the arterial resistance and the higher the blood
pressure.
atherosclerosis: Thickening
of the inner layer of artery walls from the buildup
of debris, such as fats and cholesterol, from
the bloodstream; this narrows the passageway
and diminishes blood flow.
autonomic nervous system: The
part of the nervous system that controls involuntary
processes, such as heartbeat and breathing. Its
two arms are the sympathetic and parasympathetic
nervous systems.
coronary artery disease: Narrowing
or blockage of the arteries that supply blood
to the heart muscle. The condition can cause
angina and heart attack.
diabetes: A disorder in which
blood glucose (sugar) levels are elevated.
diastolic pressure: The second
(bottom) reading of a blood pressure measurement,
which reflects the pressure in the arteries between
heartbeats.
epinephrine: A chemical released
by the sympathetic nervous system that constricts
blood vessels and increases heart rate; also
called adrenaline.
essential hypertension: High
blood pressure for which there is no known underlying
cause; also called primary hypertension.
heart failure: A condition
in which the heart loses its ability to efficiently
pump blood throughout the body.
isolated systolic hypertension: A
form of hypertension characterized by elevated
systolic blood pressure and normal diastolic
pressure.
labile hypertension: Blood
pressure that frequently fluctuates between normal
and abnormal during the course of a day, often
within only a few minutes.
left ventricular hypertrophy: Thickening
of the left ventricle, the chamber of the heart
that pumps blood to the body.
malignant hypertension: A dangerous
type of hypertension marked by an unusually sudden
rise in blood pressure to very high levels, often
accompanied by headache, blurred vision, and
seizures.
neurotransmitters: Chemicals
released by nerve cells that transmit messages
to other nearby cells.
norepinephrine: A neurotransmitter
that constricts blood vessels.
pulse pressure: The difference
between your systolic and diastolic blood pressures.
May help predict heart disease risk.
renal artery stenosis: Narrowing
of an artery that supplies blood to the kidney.
renin: An enzyme released by
the kidney that stimulates production of angiotensin.
resistant hypertension: Blood
pressure that remains persistently elevated despite
drug therapy and lifestyle changes.
secondary hypertension: High
blood pressure that has an identifiable, often
correctable, cause.
systolic pressure: The first
(top) number of a blood pressure measurement,
which reflects pressure in the arteries when
the heart contracts.
vasoconstrictors: Substances
that constrict blood vessels.
vasodilators: Substances that
widen blood vessels.
white-coat hypertension: Blood
pressure elevations that occur in response to visits
to a doctor’s office.
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