Is essential hypertension really essential ?

The medical definition of the term ‘essential’ here is a wee bit different.

Essential: In medicine means ‘of unknown cause’, and so in essential hypertension means high blood pressure of unknown cause… also known as idiopathic.

And voila, we are on the same page as Dr Feelgood!! Great! So let’s examine what this ‘essential hypertension’ is all about.

Essential Hypertension

Essential hypertension is high blood pressure that does not have a known cause. And for those who came in late, blood pressure is the force of blood against your artery walls as your heart pumps blood through your body. So while pressure is necessary or essential, this force when too strong is known as Hypertension (Not really an essential thing going by the English meaning of the term)

According to the State University of New York’s(SUNY) Upstate Medical University, approximately 95 percent of cases of high blood pressure are essential hypertension. The other five percent of hypertension cases are called secondary hypertension. Secondary hypertension is high blood pressure that has an identifiable cause, such as kidney disease etc.

There is no cure for essential hypertension, but there are treatments.

Something that’s Essential can be mighty dangerous too

Essential Hypertension can lead to the following conditions:

1. atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries from cholesterol buildup, which can lead to a heart attack)


2. stroke


3. heart attack


4. heart failure


5. eye damage


6. kidney damage

Diet, stress, overwork and overweight are primarily the reasons for the onset of Hypertension. It is a life style condition and thus one should consult a doctor who will be able to better assess your blood pressure readings and advice corrective measures or lifestyle plan.  However here are some general things you should watch out for –

Heavy smoking or drinking can certainly increase the chances of Hypertension so quit the habits and try not to consume more than 1 drink a day. Your diet should be rich in potassium and fiber and last but not least, exercise at least 30 minutes per day to control your weight and to keep the heart pumping healthily.

Article Sources:

1. Essential hypertension. (n.d.). Rush University Medical Center. Retrieved May 12, 2012, from http://health.rush.edu/HealthInformation/mens%20center/28/000357.aspx


2. Essential hypertension. (n.d.). National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health. Retrieved May 12, 2012, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000153.htm


3. High blood pressure (essential hypertension). (n.d.). SUNY Upstate Medical University. Retrieved May 12, 2012, from http://library.upstate.edu/frc/resources/eil/card3631.php


4. Hypertension. (n.d.). EHSL - Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library Home Page. Retrieved May 12, 2012, from http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/TUTORIAL/HYPERTEN/HYPERTEN.html