Medicine
High Blood Pressure
A common condition in which the long-term force of the blood against your artery walls is high enough that it may eventually cause health problems.
Hypertension is a sustained elevation in blood pressure that silently damages the heart, arteries, kidneys, and brain. It affects approximately one in three Singapore adults, with many cases remaining undiagnosed or poorly controlled.
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High blood pressure puts extra strain on your heart and blood vessels, serving as a major, yet treatable, risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Blood Pressure Classification
- Normal — below 120/80 mmHg
- Elevated — 120–129/below 80 mmHg
- Stage 1 Hypertension — 130–139/80–89 mmHg
- Stage 2 Hypertension — 140/90 mmHg or above
- Hypertensive Crisis — above 180/120 mmHg (requires urgent assessment)
Types of Hypertension
- Primary hypertension (90–95%) — genetic factors, dietary sodium excess, inactivity, obesity, ageing
- Secondary hypertension (5–10%) — renal artery stenosis, primary aldosteronism, sleep apnoea, kidney disease, thyroid dysfunction
Target Organ Damage
- Cardiac: left ventricular hypertrophy, heart failure, coronary disease, atrial fibrillation
- Neurological: stroke and cognitive impairment
- Renal: chronic kidney disease
- Vascular: aortic aneurysm and peripheral artery disease
- Ocular: vision impairment
Treatment Options
- Lifestyle: sodium restriction (<2g/day), regular exercise, weight reduction, alcohol limitation, smoking cessation
- Medications: ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, calcium channel blockers, thiazide diuretics
- Resistant hypertension: specialist evaluation for secondary causes and advanced therapies
Concerned About High Blood Pressure?
Dr. Peter Chang offers specialist assessment and personalised management at Paragon Medical Centre, Singapore.