Hypertension is also known as high blood pressure. It is defined as transitory (short-lived) or chronic elevation of the blood pressure in the arteries. This elevation may lead to cardiovascular damage.
Blood pressure is broken into systolic and diastolic values. The systolic measurement is the peak pressure in the arteries, and the diastolic measurement is the minimum pressure in the arteries. Normal blood pressure is below 120/80, where 120 represents the systolic (maximum) measurement and 80 represents the diastolic (minimum) measurement.
Hypertension occurs when the blood pressure reaches above 140/90. The risk for hypertension is increased in a condition known as prehypertension, which occurs when the blood pressure is between 120/80 and 139/89.
An untreated systolic blood pressure (BP) of 140 mmHg or higher or a diastolic BP of 90 mmHg or higher, taking antihypertensive medications or being told at least twice by a physician or other health professional that you have high blood pressure
Findings
- Increased blood pressure
Causes of Hypertension
The most common causes of hypertension include
The most common causes of hypertension include
- Smoking,
- Obesity or being overweight,
- Diabetes,
- Having a sedentary lifestyle,
- Lack of physical activity,
- High salt or alcohol intake levels,
- Insufficient consumption of calcium, potassium or magnesium,
- A deficiency in vitamin D,
- Stress,
- Aging,
- Chronic kidney disease and adrenal and thyroid conditions or tumors.
- Some individuals may also be genetically predisposed to hypertension.
Treatment
Thiazide Diuretics
CHLOROTHIAZIDE: Adults: 125 to 500 mg orally once or in 2 divided doses daily.
CHLORTHALIDONE: Adults: 12.5 to 25 mg (generic) orally once daily.
HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE: Adults: 12.5 to 50 mg orally once daily.
POLYTHIAZIDE: Adults: 2 to 4 mg orally once daily
INDAPAMIDE: Adults: initial dose 1.25 mg orally daily; titrate every 4 weeks to the desired effect; maintenance dose 2.5 to 5 mg daily
METOLAZONE: Adults: 0.5 to 1 mg (Mykrox) orally once daily
Loop Diuretics
BUMETANIDE: Adults: 0.5 to 2 mg orally in 2 divided doses daily
FUROSEMIDE: Adults: 20 to 80 mg orally in 2 divided doses daily
TORSEMIDE: Adults: 2.5 to 10 mg orally once daily
Potassium-Sparing Diuretics
AMILORIDE HYDROCHLORIDE: Adults: 5 to 10 mg orally in 1 or 2 divided doses daily
TRIAMTERENE: Adults: 50 to 100 mg orally in 1 or 2 divided doses daily
ACE Inhibitor
BENAZEPRIL HYDROCHLORIDE: Adults: 10 to 40 mg orally once daily
CAPTOPRIL: Adults: 25 to 100 mg orally in divided doses twice daily
ENALAPRIL MALEATE: Adults: 5 to 40 mg orally once daily or in divided doses twice daily
FOSINOPRIL SODIUM: Adults: 10 to 40 mg orally once daily
LISINOPRIL: Adults: 10 to 40 mg orally once daily
MOEXIPRIL HYDROCHLORIDE: Adults: 7.5 to 30 mg orally once daily
PERINDOPRIL ERBUMINE: Adults: 4 to 8 mg orally once daily
QUINAPRIL HYDROCHLORIDE: Adults: 10 to 80 mg orally once daily
RAMIPRIL: Adults: 2.5 to 20 mg orally in 1 or 2 divided doses daily
TRANDOLAPRIL: Adults: 1 to 4 mg orally once daily
Aldosterone Receptor Blocker
EPLERENONE: Adults: 50 to 100 mg orally once daily
SPIRONOLACTONE: Adults: 25 to 50 mg orally once daily
Beta-Blocker
ACEBUTOLOL HYDROCHLORIDE: Adults: 200 to 800 mg orally in divided doses twice daily
ATENOLOL: Adults: 25 to 100 mg orally once daily
BETAXOLOL HYDROCHLORIDE: Adults: 5 to 20 mg orally once daily
BISOPROLOL FUMARATE: Adults: 2.5 to 10 mg orally once daily
METOPROLOL TARTRATE: Adults: initial dose 100 mg orally daily in single or divided doses taken with or immediately following meals; increase dose weekly until optimal blood pressure reduction is achieved; effective dosage range 100 to 450 mg orally daily
NADOLOL: Adults: 40 to 120 mg orally once daily
PENBUTOLOL SULFATE: Adults: 10 to 40 mg orally once daily
PINDOLOL; Adults: 10 to 40 mg orally in 2 divided doses daily
PROPRANOLOL HYDROCHLORIDE; Adults: 60 to 180 mg (sustained-release) orally once daily
TIMOLOL; Adults: initial dose 10 mg orally twice daily; titrate to the desired effect based on heart rate and blood pressure response; allow at least 7 days between dose increases; maintenance dose 20 to 40 mg daily in 2 divided doses; maximum daily dose 60 mg in 2 divided doses
Non-Dihydropyridine Calcium Channel Blocker
DILTIAZEM HYDROCHLORIDE: Adults: 120 to 540 mg (sustained release) orally once daily
VERAPAMIL HYDROCHLORIDE: Adults: 120 to 480 mg (sustained release) orally in 1 or 2 divided doses daily
Dihydropyridine Calcium Channel Blocker
AMLODIPINE BESYLATE: Adults: 2.5 to 10 mg orally once daily
FELODIPINE: Adults: 2.5 to 20 mg orally once daily
ISRADIPINE: Adults: 2.5 to 10 mg orally in 2 divided doses daily
NICARDIPINE HYDROCHLORIDE; Adults: 60 to 120 mg (Cardene SR) orally in 2 divided doses daily
Alpha-Blocker
DOXAZOSIN MESYLATE: Adults: 1 to 16 mg orally once daily
PRAZOSIN HYDROCHLORIDE: Adults: 2 to 20 mg orally in 2 or 3 divided doses daily
TERAZOSIN HYDROCHLORIDE: Adults: 1 to 20 mg orally daily in 1 or 2 divided doses
Combined Alpha-Blocker and Beta-Blocker
CARVEDILOL (Related toxicological information in CARVEDILOL): Adults: 12.5 to 50 mg orally divided into 2 doses daily
LABETALOL HYDROCHLORIDE: Adults: 200 to 800 mg orally daily in 2 divided doses
Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker/Antagonist
CANDESARTAN CILEXETIL: Adults: 8 to 32 mg orally once daily
EPROSARTAN MESYLATE: Adults: 400 to 800 mg orally in 1 or 2 divided doses daily
IRBESARTAN: Adults: 150 to 300 mg orally once daily
LOSARTAN POTASSIUM: Adults: 25 to 100 mg orally in 1 or 2 divided doses daily
OLMESARTAN MEDOXOMIL: Adults: 20 to 40 mg orally once daily
TELMISARTAN: Adults: 20 to 80 mg orally once daily
VALSARTAN: Adults: 80 to 320 mg orally in 1 or 2 divided doses daily
Central Alpha-2 Agonist or other Centrally-Acting Agent
CLONIDINE: Adults: 0.1 to 0.8 mg tablet orally in 2 divided doses daily OR 0.1 to 0.3 mg patch transdermally once weekly
METHYLDOPA: Adults: initial dose 250 mg orally 2 to 3 times daily in the first 48 hours; titrate at intervals of at least 2 days; maintenance dose 500 to 2000 mg daily in 2 to 4 divided doses; maximum daily dose 3000 mg in divided doses
RESERPINE: Adults: 0.1 to 0.25 mg orally once daily
GUANFACINE HYDROCHLORIDE: Adults: 0.5 to 2 mg orally once daily
Direct Vasodilator
HYDRALAZINE HYDROCHLORIDE: Adults: 50 to 100 mg orally in 2 divided doses daily
MINOXIDIL: Adults: 2.5 to 80 mg orally in 1 or 2 divided doses daily
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Disease