Johns Hopkins Health Alerts | Hypertension and Stroke

Latest findings and recommendations for preventing and treating high blood pressure, stroke, and the other complications of high blood pressure with lifestyle modifications and medication

As blood circulates, it exerts pressure on the walls of the arteries. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is characterized by a persistent increase in this pressure, even when a person is at rest. The disorder is one of the most common chronic health problems in the United States. High blood pressure is also the most important risk factor for stroke—the third leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause of disability—and a major risk factor for heart attacks, heart failure, and kidney disease.

If left untreated, this “silent killer,” as high blood pressure is often called, is a primary cause not only of stroke, but also of coronary heart disease, heart failure, kidney disease, and blindness. Fortunately, in most cases, high blood pressure is easy to diagnose and is usually controllable with lifestyle modifications (such as diet and exercise) and medication.

Because of the close relationship between high blood pressure and stroke, both topics are addressed in this area of Johns Hopkins Health Alerts—and Johns Hopkins experts review the latest findings and recommendations for preventing and treating high blood pressure and stroke. By taking the right steps to avoid high blood pressure or detecting it early and treating it effectively, you can dramatically reduce your risk of stroke and other complications of high blood pressure.

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) and Stroke Articles:

High Blood Pressure | Hypertension:

• High Blood Pressure/Hypertension

• High Blood Pressure Treatment

• High Blood Pressure Medications

• Living With High Blood Pressure

Stroke:

• Stroke

Hypertension and Stroke Glossary

Johns Hopkins Weekly Podcasts: Each podcast is a lively discussion of the week's medical news and how it may affect you. Each ten to twelve-minute free program features Rick Lange, M.D., chief of clinical cardiology at Johns Hopkins Medicine, and Elizabeth Tracey, director of the Hopkins Health NewsFeed, a radio news service program at Johns Hopkins Medicine. Johns Hopkins Podcast: Weekly Program, and Archive

Johns Hopkins Health Alerts | Hypertension and Stroke