Unlike the more usual type of hypertension that comes on through years and can be caused by controllable circumstances such as obesity, essential hypertension has no such cause. It is often said that this type of hypertension just is and so it is dealt with as an inherited situation as opposed to a provoked one. Because essential hypertension is its own cause, it is also called primary hypertension.

The Prognosis

It is not seen as a devastating event to be diagnosed with essential hypertension these days because it is usually controlled without complications by using everyday blood pressure medication. Moreover, though limiting alcohol consumption and controlling weight are factors in all types of hypertension, since these things are not the causes of essential hypertension, they don't go very far toward effecting a cure. So, medication and regular examines are most often prescribed.

What is Done About Essential Hypertension Over The Long Term

Some hypotheses state that essential hypertension does indeed have an underlying cause but as of yet no one has figured out what it is. The reason some think this is because sometimes one patient will respond to a particular treatment while another patient will be unaffected by the same treatment. Still, this is just speculation and really it is unnecessary to pinpoint an underlying cause.

The medical profession knows how to deal with essential hypertension and in each individual case a doctor will come up with the best plan to treat the patient. This is true even though a period of trial and error will often be required.

Once prescribed, blood pressure medication must be taken every day. Deciding to skip a day is not allowed. It is also against the rules to cut your dosage or, perhaps because you don't feel good, take an extra pill.

Not only should the patient avoid missing his/her daily dosage of blood pressure medication, but he/she must take it at the same time everyday. This is because hypertension medication is not as effective even if it is just missed on rare occasions. Also, it loses its effectiveness if it is not taken at consistent intervals. This means following the doctor's orders includes what part of the day the medication should be taken.

Monitor Your Medication's Effect

Once the medication has been administered, it is important the patient let the doctor know if he/she is feeling any ill effects from it. Sometimes, the type or just the amount of the medication will have to be changed once or even twice before the best prescription is found. This is because, of course every one is different and so, the first prescription can be a bit of a guessing game.

Essential hypertension is quite common today. It is more often seen in adolescents than it is adults. This is simply because there are far more underlying reasons for an older person to have hypertension than a younger one. So of course, when there are other reasons the hypertension is present it would not be primary or essential hypertension.

Essential hypertension is relatively new to the medical lexicon and so, why people get it is not well understood. Some believe, because it comes on without known causes, it is inherited. Only time will tell us whether or not this theory will hold true.