Etymed
hypertension
Definition
abnormally high blood pressure
Clinical context
A 65-year-old male presents to the emergency department with a blood pressure of 180/120 mmHg and reports severe headache and visual disturbances. He denies chest pain or shortness of breath. His physical examination reveals no focal neurological deficits, but he appears anxious and diaphoretic. The patient has a history of poorly controlled hypertension and was last seen by his primary care physician three months ago.
Mnemonic
Hypertension = HypeTension - think of 'hyper' as overactive, like a car with too much gas pedal (high pressure)