hypertension
noun
Did you know?
You might have thought that hypertension was what a movie audience feels near the climax of a thriller, but you would have been wrong. High blood pressure—that is high pressure against the walls of your veins and arteries caused by blood flow—often occurs when the arteries or veins become blocked or narrowed, making the heart work harder to pump blood. But many cases seem to be the result of smoking or taking in too much salt, and many are genetically caused. Hypertension is serious, since it can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Though it often produces no warning symptoms, your blood pressure can be checked quickly and easily by a nurse. If it's high, it can usually be controlled by stopping smoking, losing weight, lowering your salt intake, and exercising—and if all else fails, by medication.
Examples of hypertension in a Sentence
Sarah Garone, Health, 9 Feb. 2026
The certificate listed atrial fibrillation and pulmonary hypertension as contributing conditions.
—Jami Ganz, Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2026
Carter also suffered from atrial fibrillation, an arrhythmia resulting in rapid heartbeat, and pulmonary hypertension, a progressive disease that can result in high blood pressure.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
Patients who spent years cycling through calorie restriction and medication without metabolic success have reversed obesity, diabetes and hypertension by focusing on low-carbohydrate nutrition that stabilizes blood sugar and rebuilds muscle.
—Bret Scher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hypertension
Cite this Entry
“Hypertension.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypertension. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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hypertension
noun
Medical Definition
hypertension
noun
