Systemic Hypertension ^cont.

Hypertension Categories

Several leading physician organizations, including the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, published new guidelines in August 2025 for defining and treating hypertension. Based on large-scale clinical studies, the following definitions are now applied to adults:

Additionally, severe hypertension without end-organ damage is defined as pressures greater than 180/120.

It is important to note that a hypertensive state is defined as an abnormal elevation of either systolic or diastolic pressure. In past years, the diastolic value was emphasized in determining whether a person was hypertensive. However, elevations in systolic pressure ("systolic hypertension") are also associated with increased incidence of coronary and cerebrovascular disease (e.g., stroke). Therefore, we now recognize that both systolic and diastolic pressure values are important for assessing clinical states of hypertension.

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Causes of Hypertension

Revised 09/25/2025