Hypertension is another name for high blood pressure, and this happens when your blood pressure is elevated over the normal range. The blood pressure of the human body fluctuates throughout the day based on the activities we do. But sometimes, people have a consistently higher blood pressure than normal. This results in the diagnosis of hypertension. Around 8.22 million people in South Africa have hypertension. When high blood pressure is not treated, it can lead to other health conditions and complications.
The best and easiest way to diagnose hypertension is to measure it. A blood pressure reading is in millimetres of mercury (mmHg) and displays two numbers. These numbers express two conditions:
Systolic Blood Pressure: The numbers that appear on the top indicate the pressure of blood that is exerted against the arterial walls during heartbeats.
Diastolic Blood Pressure: The bottom number on the machine indicates the pressure of blood exerted against the arterial walls during the resting stage between the beats.
However, the variation in these numbers tells us about the severity of our blood pressure. These ranges are:
| Ranges | Type of Blood Pressure |
| 120/80 | Normal Blood Pressure |
| 120-129/80 | Elevated Blood Pressure |
| 130-139/80 | Stage 1 Hypertension |
| 140/90 | Stage 2 Hypertension |
| 180/120 | Hypertensive crisis |
Treatment of Hypertension greatly depends on its severity, but there are several types of treatment available.
There are other medications that doctors prescribe to a hypertensive patient according to their need and the severity of the conditions.
Most of the medications for hypertension are safe to use, but there are some side effects for some patients. These are:
Medications to treat hypertension vary from person to person and depends on your overall health and lifestyle. If prescribed medication, make sure to take the medication as prescribed by the doctor. Do not abruptly stop taking these medicines because they can cause rebound hypertension which is a sharp increase in blood pressure. If the medicines are unaffordable for you, then talk to your doctor to see if there is an alternative.