“Hypertension definition” is a term everyone should know the meaning of. High Blood Pressure (hypertension) is the third most commonly diagnosed chronic medical condition in the Western world, and it has a range of remedies from lifestyle and dietary changes to prescription medicines, and even common every day activities like playing games.

However, to understand the root cause of hypertension, we need to ascertain the medical definition of the term. Hypertension is persistently elevated blood pressure. In a nutshell, imagine the circulatory system as a series of hoses – they start out at the widest in the aortic arch coming out of the heart; the heart contracts, arteries contract with it and blood is moved through the system. For a number of reasons, the pressure that blood gets forced through the system can elevate. Think of what happens when you run water through a garden hose at higher than normal levels. Eventually the garden hose wears out.

Multiply that by all the arteries and capillaries in your body and you'll see why high blood pressure is a leading indicator of heart attacks (where a blood vessel that feeds the heart bursts from over-use), blood clots, aneurysms and strokes (where a blood vessel bursts in your brain, starving brain cells of oxygen).

One of the leading endemic causes of elevated blood pressure is stress. Our bodies were designed for running after antelopes on the savannah. Living in the modern world causes us to internalize the daily pressure of making a living, tending the home and kids and other nuances in our lives that may not be healthy for us. Higher blood pressure created by stress is designed to be used when you need sustained oxygen flow for emergencies, such as running away from lions.

Reducing stress is an important way to reduce your blood pressure. It requires a conscious effort, and may require breaking an addictive pattern. When you are placed under a great deal of stress, your body triggers the adrenal glands, a tool used by your body for "flight or flight" scenarios. For the majority of people, these adrenal reactions can create an adrenaline high after the moment of stress subsides. This ‘high', euphoric feeling can create extreme sports addicts.

To stress, and ultimately high blood pressure, you need to be self awareness. You need to know what stresses you, and isolate it. Minimize your exposure to it – develop an awareness to what stresses you, and learn to recognize the symptoms as they present themselves.

It also helps to develop good stress-management techniques. For leisure, do something that helps you to relieve stress. Try doing something fun that relaxes you and allows pent-up stress to gently flow out of your body and mid. We are advocating that you take the time every single day to do something you enjoy doing, something that makes you feel good about yourself. This can be something calming like knitting, or a physical exercise like kick boxing. Cut out the stress and give your circulatory system a break from the misguided flight or fight systems that power you through the day.

Hypertension is a growing epidemic that is affecting more people everyday. As long as we understand the “hypertension definition” and take the necessary steps to avoid high blood pressure, we will be safe from some of the terrible physical repercussions this medical condition can bring.