There are several factors that place patients at risk for essential hypertension which include smoking, obesity, diabetes, lack of physical activity, family history of hypertension, stress, male gender, African American race, alcohol intake, vitamin D deficiency, dyslipidemia, and high salt intake.
The main goal of treatment for stable essential hypertension is to achieve a normal blood pressure and maintain blood pressure control. Treating hypertension is vitally important for reducing the risks mentioned above. High blood pressure may be treated medically, by changing lifestyle factors, or a combination of these methods. It is advantageous to discover hypertension early as it is slowly increasing, and then lifestyle modifications may be used to achieve control. Unfortunately, hypertension is usually discovered late after it has set in for some time at a point which requires control with medication. As lifestyle changes are established and begin working, blood pressure control will often improve with time, and medication may be weaned and hopefully eventually be discontinued. However, a large majority will continue to required medication for control.
