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Hypertension or high blood pressure is a medical condition characterized by elevated pressure in the arteries. Long-term high blood pressure is a concern as it is a risk factor for stroke, heart failure, coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, chronic kidney disease, peripheral vascular disease, etc. Nearly 90-95% of cases of hypertension are caused due to excess body weight, excess salt in diet, alcohol use and smoking. The remaining cases of high blood pressure can be caused due to narrowing of the kidney arteries, chronic kidney disease, endocrine disorder or the use of birth control pills. Severely elevated blood pressure can cause direct damage to the heart and lungs, brain and kidney. Hypertension usually results from an interplay of genetic and environmental factors. It is diagnosed on the basis of the presence of persistent high blood pressure. Antihypertensive medications such as calcium channel blockers, angiotensin receptor blockers, thiazide-diuretics and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors are used for the management of hypertension. This book includes some of the vital pieces of work being conducted across the world, on various topics related to hypertension. It presents researches and studies performed by experts across the globe. It is a complete source of knowledge on the present status of this important field.
