![\"World](\"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/hypertension-day-2026-may-1024x512.png\")
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17th May is observed as World Hypertension Day<\/strong> every year. In 2026, this date marks the 21st year of this awareness campaign with the theme “Controlling Hypertension<\/strong> Together.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Around 1.4 billion people live with this condition worldwide, and a large number of them have no idea. This is because there are often no warning signs. If one does not seek timely medical attention, they can be at a greater risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and even dementia.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In this article, we will understand what hypertension<\/strong> means, its symptoms, causes, prevention, and more.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The heart constantly pumps blood through a vast network of arteries. When that blood travels with too much force, it strains the artery walls. This is called hypertension<\/strong><\/a>. Over time, it can damage the heart, arteries, and other organs.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Blood pressure readings use two numbers measured in mmHg:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n A reading of 140\/90 mmHg or more generally indicates hypertension<\/strong>. Since there are no obvious symptoms in most people, it often goes undetected for years, earning it the name “silent killer.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n There are two broad types of hypertension<\/strong><\/a>:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1. Primary Hypertension<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n It has no single identifiable cause. It develops gradually over many years and accounts for the majority of cases, particularly in adults.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2. Secondary Hypertension<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n This type links directly to an underlying health condition. It appears suddenly and often pushes blood pressure higher than primary hypertension<\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In most cases, there’s no single cause of hypertension<\/strong>. There are several factors that contribute to developing the condition over time. Common hypertension causes<\/strong> include:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If not treated on time, hypertension<\/strong> can affect the heart and arteries over time. Here are some long-term risks of the condition:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Most people with hypertension<\/strong> do not experience any obvious symptoms. Hypertension symptoms<\/strong> typically only surface when blood pressure reaches a severely high level, usually 180\/120 mmHg or above. At that point, a person may experience:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n To diagnose hypertension<\/strong>, doctors usually start with a blood pressure reading. A normal reading sits below 120\/80 mmHg. Readings that are consistently at or above 140\/90 mmHg point to hypertension<\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n However, one high reading isn’t enough to confirm the condition. A doctor typically looks at multiple readings across at least two separate visits before making a diagnosis.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n They may also suggest additional tests for hypertension<\/strong><\/a>, like:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One can manage hypertension<\/strong> with a combination of medication and lifestyle changes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Depending on the evaluation and tests, doctors may recommend medications, like diuretics, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, and calcium channel blockers.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In mild cases, doctors may recommend certain lifestyle changes first before introducing drugs.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Blood pressure tends to increase naturally with age. However, certain lifestyle changes can help with hypertension prevention<\/strong>. These include:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hypertension<\/strong> is a serious medical condition. However, following healthy lifestyle habits and getting treated timely can help one manage it better.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n On this World Hypertension Day<\/strong>, take the first step towards a healthier life. Consult a doctor and book the recommended hypertension panel test<\/strong><\/a> directly on the Dr. Lal PathLabs app<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 17th May is observed as World Hypertension Day every year. In 2026, this date marks the 21st year of this awareness campaign with the theme “Controlling Hypertension Together.” Around 1.4 billion people live with this condition worldwide, and a large number of them have no idea. This is because there are often no warning […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":19273,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":""},"categories":[1055],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19272"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19272"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19272\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19274,"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19272\/revisions\/19274"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19273"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19272"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19272"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19272"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}What is Hypertension?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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What are the Types of Hypertension?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
What Causes Hypertension?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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What are the Risk Factors of Hypertension?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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What are the Symptoms of Hypertension?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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How is Hypertension Diagnosed?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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How is Hypertension Treated?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
How to Prevent Hypertension?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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FAQs<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\nThe 5 symptoms of hypertension<\/strong> include headaches, chest pain, blurred vision, dizziness, and shortness of breath.<\/li>\n
\nThere’s no single cause of hypertension<\/strong>. It can develop due to poor diet, physical inactivity, excess weight, smoking, heavy alcohol use, or age.<\/li>\n
\nOne can lower high blood pressure by taking prescribed medication. Lifestyle habits like reducing salt intake, exercising regularly, and managing stress also help.<\/li>\n
\nEvery year on 17th May, health organisations, hospitals, and communities conduct several activities. These can include free blood pressure screening camps, public awareness drives, social media campaigns, educational workshops, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"