Hypertension

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Hypertension is generally defined as an elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥ 140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥ 90 mmHg. Hypertension can be chronic or acute. Chronic hypertension is in 95% of the cases primary and in 5 % secondary to other underlying causes. Hypertensive crisis is the acute elevation of blood pressure and it can be classified into hypertensive emergency or hypertensive urgency when end organ damage is present or absent respectively.

Classification

Chronic Hypertension

Chronic hypertension

Primary hypertension (also known as essential hypertension) (95% of the cases)

Secondary hypertension (5% of the cases)

Hypertensive Crisis

Hypertensive crisis Acute elevation of blood pressure - Systolic blood pressure >180 mm Hg, or - Diastolic blood pressure >120 mm Hg

Hypertensive emergency Evidence of end organ damage

Hypertensive urgency No evidence of end organ damage