A Review Article on - Hypertension

Abstract

High blood pressure (hypertension) is the leading preventable cause of death and disability. It can lead to serious health problems such as stroke, heart disease, hardening of the arteries, heart failure, and kidney damage. Taking blood pressure medicine can help lower the risk of these problems by protecting important organs and reducing the chances of heart-related diseases. To help manage high blood pressure, several lifestyle changes are recommended: • Eat less salt • Lose weight if you\\\\\\\'re overweight • Exercise regularly • Drink alcohol in moderation • Eat more foods rich in potassium, like fruits and vegetables • These healthy habits can help control blood pressure and improve overall health. High blood pressure is one of the main causes of hypertension, which affects more than a billion people around the world — especially older adults. To help manage this growing problem, the International Society of Hypertension (ISH) has created detailed, evidence-based guidelines for treating high blood pressure in adults. These guidelines are designed to be useful for doctors working in all types of healthcare systems, from low-resource to well-equipped settings. There are two levels of care in the guidelines: • Essential care: Basic treatment principles that can be followed in low-resource or underprivileged areas. • Optimal care: A higher standard of treatment based on the latest research, meant for healthcare settings with more resources. When starting treatment for high blood pressure, doctors usually choose one of four main types of medicines that are known to reduce the risk of heart problems. These include: • Thiazide diuretics • ACE inhibitors • ARBs (angiotensin receptor blockers) • Calcium channel blockers In cases where high blood pressure doesn’t respond well to regular treatment (called treatment-resistant hypertension), two special procedures may be used: • Renal denervation • Baroreflex activation therapy • These methods help control blood pressure when medications alone are not enough. This paper looks at how high blood pressure (hypertension) can be diagnosed in patients and explores ways to prevent and treat it using lifestyle changes and medications.

Introduction

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) is a common condition where the force of blood against arterial walls remains consistently elevated. It involves either the systolic pressure (when the heart beats), the diastolic pressure (when the heart rests), or both. It is a major global health issue, contributing to around 10 million deaths annually. The 2017 guidelines define hypertension as ≥130/80 mmHg, lowering the previous threshold of 140/90 mmHg and increasing the proportion of adults diagnosed.

Causes (Etiology)

Most cases are primary (essential) hypertension, caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Other contributors include:

• Genetic factors: Family history, inherited traits

• Lifestyle factors: Poor diet (high salt, sugar, fats), obesity, inactivity, alcohol use, smoking

• Health conditions: Kidney disease, sleep apnea, hormonal disorders, thyroid problems

• Other factors: Age, chronic stress

Pathophysiology

Blood pressure is regulated by blood volume, cardiac output, and arterial tone, influenced by the nervous and hormonal systems. Hypertension can result from:

• Increased vascular resistance (narrowed blood vessels)

• Elevated cardiac output

• Overactive RAAS system (retaining salt and water, constricting vessels)

• Sympathetic nervous system overactivity

Changes in the body may include vessel remodeling, endothelial dysfunction, and sodium retention, often compounded by genetic and lifestyle factors.

Treatment: Antihypertensive Medications

Medications aim to lower blood pressure and prevent complications like heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and kidney damage. Even modest reductions (5 mmHg) significantly lower cardiovascular risk. Common drug classes:

1. ACE inhibitors & ARBs – block RAAS

2. Calcium channel blockers – relax and widen vessels

3. Diuretics – promote sodium and water excretion

4. Beta-blockers & alpha-blockers – reduce heart workload and nerve signals

5. Other agents – central agonists, vasodilators, peripheral adrenergic inhibitors

Complications of Uncontrolled Hypertension

If untreated, hypertension can cause:

• Coronary heart disease and heart attack

• Stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic)

• Kidney failure

• Aortic aneurysm

• Peripheral arterial disease

• Atrial fibrillation

• Hypertensive encephalopathy

• Death

Conclusion

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a serious health problem affecting over a billion people worldwide, but it can be treated with both lifestyle changes and medications.One of the biggest challenges is that many people are not aware they have high blood pressure. This lack of awareness leads to poor treatment and control, especially in countries with fewer resources. Starting to manage high blood pressure early in life can help prevent it from becoming severe later on, leading to healthier communities.Along with medicines that lower blood pressure, making healthy changes in daily life is very important. These changes include: • Reducing salt intake • Eating a healthy diet • Losing extra weight • Practicing deep breathing exercises Deep breathing helps activate the body\\\\\\\'s relaxation system, which can lower blood pressure.To better control hypertension, it is important to raise awareness among young people and use treatments that do not always rely on medicines.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Anish Mane, Suraj Chavan, Sandesh Dhadambe, Sonali Kodalkar. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.