The systolic value, which is the higher value, is checked when your heart contracts. The diastolic value, or lower value, is checked when your heart relaxes, between beats. Blood pressure is written as the systolic pressure followed by a slash, followed by the diastolic pressure. Malignant Hypertension is a severe and fairly rare form of high blood pressure, usually found in one in every two hundred people. If left untreated, malignant hypertension can lead to death, sometimes within three to six months.
Malignant hypertension is considered a medical emergency.
In many people, the cause of high blood pressure is unknown, and the condition is referred to as essential or primary hypertension. It is likely that essential hypertension may have more than one cause, wherein several changes in the heart and blood vessels could combine to elevate the blood pressure. When the cause of high blood pressure is known, it is referred to as secondary hypertension. Causes include kidney disease, a hormonal disorder, or the use of certain drugs such as oral contraceptives. A tumor of the adrenal gland, called a pheochromocytoma, is a rare cause of high blood pressure.