17th May 2025 will be observed as the World Hypertension Day, a day globally meant to create awareness with regard to the problem of hypertension (high blood pressure) and other things concerned. Hypertension is a serious illness that is affecting millions of people around the world. Hypertension leads as number one cause of heart disease, stroke and kidney failure. This blog explains diagnosis, treatment and myths about hypertension.
World Hypertension Day 2025: Theme and Significance
Theme
This year the theme of World Hypertension Day is “Measure your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control it, Live longer”.
Objective
This year’s theme addresses the necessity and importance of regular and correct monitoring of blood pressure so that high blood pressure can be managed. The theme also displays how the accurate measurement is important for early detection and management.
Understanding Blood Pressure, Hypertension, and its Types
What is Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure can be described as the pressure that blood exerts against the walls of your arteries. Every beat of the heart sends your blood into the arteries. When your heart is pumping the blood, your blood pressure peaks, this is called systolic pressure. This pressure is necessary to maintain proper circulation throughout the body. When your heart is resting between beats your blood pressure drops; this is diastolic pressure.
The blood pressure reading is done by two numbers, and the systolic number comes before or above the diastolic number. For example, 120/80 means a systolic of 120 and a diastolic of 80.
What is Hypertension?
Hypertension also known as high blood pressure is a condition when the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your blood vessels is too high. This condition is common but can be serious if not treated.
Types of Hypertension
There are two types of hypertension or high blood pressure:
- Primary: Primary blood pressure is considered one of the most common types of blood pressure. This develops over time as you get older.
- Secondary: This type of hypertension is caused by another medical condition or by the use of any medications. It gets better when you get recover or stop taking that medicine.
Risk Factors, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Complications
Risk Factors
Age
Age is one of the most common factors of hypertension as it tends to rise with age. With age, blood vessels naturally thicken and stiffen over time which increases the risk of high blood pressure. However, the risk of high blood pressure is also rising in children and teens due to overweight and obesity.
Genetics and family history
Hypertension is often a result of family history and genetics. Many genes are linked to small increases in high blood pressure risk. Research also shows that even an unborn baby grows in the womb has some DNA changes which may raise the risk of high blood pressure later in life. Some people also have high sensitivity to salt in their diet which also plays a major role in high blood pressure.
Lifestyle habits
Modern lifestyle habits are some of the key risk factors of hypertension. Nowadays people consume unhealthy food that is high in salt and low in potassium on regular basis. Individuals who have chronic kidney disease, diabetes or have metabolic syndrome are also sensitive to an increase in salt in their diet. Other activities such as alcohol consumption, a lack of exercise, inadequate sleep as well as relationship with stress may be the reason of hypertension.
Medication
Some regular medications can also be a reason of high blood pressure including antidepressants, birth control pills, and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (painkillers).
Other Medical Conditions
Other medical conditions can also be the risk factor of hypertension including some tumours, chronic kidney disease, obesity, and thyroid.
Sex
Compared to women, men will be likely to develop high blood pressure in middle age. However, in older people, women have a higher tendency to develop high blood pressure. Women with high blood pressure in pregnancy tend to have high blood pressure in later life.
Symptoms
Although most hypertensive patients do not experience any symptoms; high blood pressure can lead to some major symptoms. Regular monitoring of your blood pressure is the best way to find out whether you have hypertension or not. Failure to treat hypertension can cause kidney disease, heart disease, and stroke among others.
People with very high blood pressure (180/120) can experience some symptoms like:
- Severe headache
- Chest pain
- Difficulty in breathing
- Nose bleeding
- Anxiety
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Vomiting
Diagnosis
To diagnose hypertension, the best thing to do is to get regular blood pressure checks from a specialist/home reading. Medical equipments such as a gauge, a stethoscope, an electronic sensor, and a blood pressure cuff. They will do two or more readings on different days in a relaxed state before they can arrive at a diagnosis.
|
BLOOD PRESSURE CATEGORY |
SYSTOLIC mm Hg (UPPER NUMBER) |
AND/OR |
DIASTOLIC mm Hg (LOWER NUMBER) |
TREATMENT |
|
NORMAL |
LESS THAN 120 |
AND |
LESS THAN 80 |
– |
|
ELEVATED |
120-129 |
AND |
LESS THAN 80 |
Lifestyle Modification |
|
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE HYPERTENSION (STAGE 1) |
130-139 |
OR |
80-89 |
|
|
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE HYPERTENSION (STAGE 2) |
140 OR HIGHER |
OR |
90 OR HIGHER |
Medication |
|
HYPERTENSIVE CRISIS |
HIGHER THAN 180 |
AND/OR |
HIGHER THAN 120 |
Admission Required |
Complications of Uncontrolled Hypertension
With other complications, hypertension can cause serious damage to the heart. Excessive pressure can make the arteries hard and can decrease the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart. The increase pressure and reduced blood flow can cause chest pain, heart attack (which occurs when the blood supply to the heart is blocked), and heart failure (which occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough blood to the other body organs).
High blood pressures can also cause bursting or blockage of arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the brain which can cause a stroke.
Elevated blood pressure in the long term can cause permanent damage to the kidneys and retina.
Prevention, Lifestyle Modifications, and Treatment
Prevention and Lifestyle Modifications
Adapting positive preventive measures and lifestyle changes can lower high blood pressure and prevent the risks of other severe conditions.
- Add more greens to your diet including fruits and leafy vegetables and limit your salt intake (avoid added salt). Also, try to avoid foods which are highly saturated.
- Try to be physically active as much as you can. Do activities like walking, running, lifting weights, or strength building. Avoid sitting for long hours.
- Try to maintain a healthy weight if you are overweight or obese.
- Avoid excess alcohol consumption, smoking, or tobacco.
- Keep a regular check of your blood pressure with an expert healthcare provider/home reading.
- Try to reduce or manage stress levels.
- Get enough sleep
Treatment
Hypertension can be treated by maintaining a good balance between healthy lifestyle and medications. Though healthy lifestyle habits can be very effective but sometimes these changes do not control or lower the blood pressure and then medications are much needed.
There are several common medications for hypertension:
- ACE inhibitors/Angiotensin-2 receptor blockers (ARBs) that relax blood vessels and prevent kidney damage.
- Calcium channel blockers (CCBs)
- Thiazide diuretics
- Beta blockers especially for young patients with anxiety and stress.
Conclusion
World hypertension day 2025 acts as a wake-up call using its theme, getting proper checkups of your blood pressure and preventive measures. Timely diagnosis, complete treatment, and breaking the myths, these are important to relieve hypertension.
Myths and FAQs around Hypertension
Q.1: Is hypertension a serious condition?
Ans: High blood pressure is usually considered not serious. Hypertension is believed to be among the most severe disease nowadays because it may cause heart disease, strokes, and the failure of kidney.
Q.2: Is hypertension only occurring among older people?
Ans: This is a common myth among people that only older people are suffering from hypertension. Though the risk increases with age, but it can occur in people of any age including children and adults.
Q.3: Does hypertension show obvious symptoms?
Ans: There is another myth around hypertension that like other conditions it also shows symptoms. Hypertension is known as “silent killer” as most people experience no symptoms.
Q.4: Can hypertension be caused only by high salt intake?
Ans: People often believe that only high salt intake is the reason for hypertension. It is not the only reason as genetics and other lifestyle habits can also cause hypertension.
Q.5: Is medication no longer needed once blood pressure is managed?
Ans: Hypertension is a chronic condition and medications are important for long-term management even if the blood pressure is under control.
Medically Reviewed by — Dr. Rupesh Kaushik (Associate Director – Cardiology)