Hypertension is the term for blood pressure that is higher than normal. The most common form of hypertension is called essential or primary hypertension because no obvious underlying cause is present. When a disease, other physical problem, or drug is the cause of high blood pressure, the condition is called secondary hypertension. 80 mm Hg is the diastolic, or resting, pressure.
Blood pressure is a measure of how hard the heart is working to pump blood through the body.
As the systolic or diastolic pressure rises, the heart has to work harder and the blood vessels, as well as the heart, become damaged. High blood pressure can lead to heart disease and stroke. There are no clear causes of essential hypertension. Heredity, gender, age, and race are also important factors. Hypertension may cause no symptoms for many years.