If a patient has persistently high arterial pressure, what is the condition called?

• A. Hypertension
• B. Headache
• C. Complete Blood Count
• D. Physical Therapy

Answer: (A)

Hypertension is the term for persistently high arterial pressure. The word combines hyper- (above) and -tension (pressure), signaling a chronic elevation in arterial blood pressure. It’s a condition, not a symptom, test, or therapy—unlike a headache (a possible symptom), a complete blood count (a lab test), or physical therapy (a treatment). Blood pressure readings are given as systolic over diastolic, and when these values remain elevated over time, the diagnosis of hypertension is made to reflect this ongoing high pressure in the arteries.