Hypertension is the term for blood pressure that is consistently higher than normal.
Rarely, a person may need a systolic blood pressure between 140 and 160 to avoid the serious consequences of blood pressure that is too low or that drops suddenly when he or she stands or tries to walk. Decisions about what blood pressure is right for you can only be decided by your health care provider. When the cause of hypertension is known, it is called secondary hypertension. Causes of secondary hypertension include kidney disease and tumors. In most people, an underlying cause for hypertension can't be found.