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Blood pressure readings above 180/120 mmHg are considered stroke-level and require immediate medical attention. Check out the center below for more medical references on hypertension, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related diseases, treatment, diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.

Turmeric is an ancient remedy, a perennial plant in the ginger family. Turmeric may help lower blood pressure, but talk to your doctor if you take medication to make sure it doesn't interact with it.

The heart is a very important organ in the body. It is responsible for continuously pumping oxygen and nutrient-rich blood throughout your body to sustain life. It is a fist-sized muscle that beats (expands and contracts) 100,000 times per day, pumping a total of five or six quarts of blood each minute, or about 2,000 gallons per day.

High blood pressure (hypertension) occurs due to the tightening or stiffness of very small arteries called arterioles. As a result, the heart pumps harder through the stiff or narrow arterioles, leading to elevated pressure inside the vessels. Hypertension is known as 'the silent killer' because it often goes unnoticed and may cause serious complications such as kidney diseases, heart diseases, heart failure, and stroke.

Chest pain is a common complaint by a patient in the ER. Causes of chest pain include broken or bruised ribs, pleurisy, pneumothorax, shingles, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, angina, heart attack, costochondritis, pericarditis, aorta or aortic dissection, and reflux esophagitis. Diagnosis and treatment of chest pain depends upon the cause and clinical presentation of the patient's chest pain.

The best ACE inhibitors for hypertension include Trandolapril, Enalapril, and Ramipril.

A stroke is an interruption of the blood supply to part of the brain caused by either a blood clot (ischemic) or bleeding (hemorrhagic). Symptoms of a stroke may include weakness, numbness, double vision or vision loss, confusion, vertigo, difficulty speaking, or understanding speech. A physical exam, imaging tests, neurological exam, and blood tests may be used to diagnose a stroke.

A heart attack (myocardial infarction) occurs when the sudden blockage of a coronary artery, usually because of blood clot, causes damage and death to heart muscle. Symptoms of a heart attack may include chest discomfort often described as a pain, pressure or tightness associated with shortness of breath, sweating and nausea.

When a portion of the brain loses blood supply, through a blood clot or embolus, a transient ischemic attack (TIA, mini-stroke) may occur. If the symptoms do not resolve, a stroke most likely has occurred. Learn the symptoms, risk factors, and treatment for a transient ischemic attack.

Heart disease (coronary artery disease) occurs when plaque builds up in the coronary arteries, the vessels that supply blood to the heart. Heart disease can lead to heart attack. Treatment of heart disease involves control of heart disease risk factors through lifestyle changes, medications, and/or stenting or bypass surgery. Heart disease can be prevented by controlling heart disease risk factors.

High blood pressure (hypertension) means high pressure (tension) in the arteries. Treatment for high blood pressure include lifestyle modifications (alcohol, smoking, coffee, salt, diet, exercise), drugs and medications such as ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, beta blockers, diuretics, calcium channel blockers (CCBs), alpha blockers, clonidine, minoxidil, and Exforge.

Stroke is a serious medical condition. If you think you or someone you know is having a stroke call 911 immediately. There are two main types of strokes, hemorrhagic and ischemic (the most common type). A hemorrhagic stroke occurs due to a blood vessel rupture in the brain. An ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot becomes lodged in a blood vessel in the brain, which causes a loss of blood supply to the brain, possibly causing brain tissue death. FAST is an acronym that helps people identify stroke signs and symptoms so they can act fast and call 911. Face drooping, Arm weakness, and Speech difficulty are indicators that a person may be having a stroke and it is Time to seek emergency medical treatment. Additional signs and symptoms of stroke may include weakness, difficulty walking, blurred vision, dizziness, headache, confusion, difficulty speaking, and loss of sensation. Stroke is a major cause of death and disability in the U.S. Early identification and treatment of stroke helps reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality.

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential nutrients that play a crucial role in supporting heart health and overall well-being. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids include certain types of fish, walnuts, vegetable oils, and more. Researchers believe that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids can improve cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

Blood in your urine is also known as hematuria. Very rarely, it is caused by high blood pressure (HBP) — also known as hypertension.

A stroke or "brain attack" is caused because blood flow to an area of the brain has been cut off by a blood clot or by a weakened or damaged blood vessel (for example, head trauma). The damaged area of the brain dies, which results in loss of function like speech capabilities, muscle movement, or muscles of an extremity like an arm or leg is reduced or lost completely. An aneurysm is a weakness in an artery wall. This weakness in the wall causes the artery to widen or balloon out, and then they rupture or break open.

Heartburn is a symptom of another disease or medical problem and can be described as a feeling of burning in the chest accompanied by symptoms of nausea, vomiting, or a sour taste or food stuck in the back of the throat. Heart attack occurs when an artery in the heart is completely blocked by a blood clot, which causes that portion of heart muscle to die. Heart attack also has symptoms of chest pain, nausea, and vomiting, however, other warning signs and symptoms of a heart attack are unusual weakness or fatigue, and persistent and/or increased severity of symptoms over a few minutes. Heart attack is a life threatening emergency. If you think you or someone you are with is having a heart attack, call 911 immediately for urgent medical treatment. It may save your life.

A heart attack (myocardial infarction) happens when a clot completely blocks an artery supplying blood to the heart muscle, which results in heart muscle death. A stroke happens when part of the brain loses its blood supply (ischemic stroke) or there is bleeding within the brain (hemorrhagic stroke). Both heart attack and stroke can be fatal if not treated immediately.

High blood pressure or hypertension is when the blood pressure readings consistently range from 140 or higher for systolic or 90 or higher for diastolic. Blood pressure readings above 180/120 mmHg are dangerously high and require immediate medical attention.

Chest pain may be caused by many conditions. Learn when chest discomfort, pressure, and tightness is a medical emergency. Find out the most likely causes of left-sided chest pain and chest pain when breathing. Read about potential underlying causes of chest pain including muscle pain, coronary artery disease, coronary artery dissection, esophageal conditions, gallbladder problems, GERD, heart attack, lung problems, and more. Discover how chest pain in women differs from that in men.

The process of developing hardening of the arteries begins in early childhood. This process puts a person at risk for heart attack and other coronary artery diseases. Once this process begins, it cannot be reversed. If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease, you are at a higher risk of having a heart attack.

Smoking increases the risk of heart disease in women and men. Nicotine in cigarettes decrease oxygen to the heart, increases blood pressure, blood clots, and damages coronary arteries. Learn how to quit smoking today, to prolong your life.

Vitamins and exercise can lower your risk for heart attack and heart disease. Folic acid, vitamins, and homocysteine levels are interconnected and affect your risk for heart disease or heart attack. For better heart health, avoid the following fried foods, hard margarine, commercial baked goods, most packaged and processed snack foods, high fat dairy, and processed meats such as bacon, sausage, and deli meats.