Hypertension Glossary of Terms

ARCHIVED 2014-02-25, DATE APPROXIMATE · VERSION 20140225_rev01 · COMPARED WITH 20130520_rev01

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 **Angina:** chest pain
 **Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors:** one kind of medication used to treat high blood pressure by preventing the body from making the chemical angiotensin II. This chemical causes blood vessels to narrow, which can raise blood pressure. ACE inhibitors allow the vessels to expand, which lowers blood pressure. These drugs are also used to treat congestive heart failure, to protect the kidneys in people with diabetes, and to treat people who have had a heart attack.
+[High Blood Pressure and Erectile Dysfunction](http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/erectile-dysfunction-high-blood-pressure)
+[High Blood Pressure Diet](http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/high-blood-pressure-diet)
+If you have high blood pressure, you may experience erectile dysfunction. For a healthy young man, erectile dysfunction is typically not a problem. As you age, however, you may notice some changes. Maybe it takes more coaxing to get erect than it used to. Sometimes it may take more direct stimulation of the penis, whereas merely a daydream or the suggestion of sex was once enough. Or perhaps your erection isn't quite as firm as it once was, but it's still good enough. These are normal changes. So,...
+Most people know about the strong link between a healthy diet and disease prevention. But did you know that what you eat -- or don't eat -- may lower or prevent high blood pressure? Also, weight loss, if you are overweight or obese, is a safe and effective way to lower blood pressure. By changing a few simple dietary habits, including counting calories and watching portion sizes to boost weight loss, you may be able to lower your blood pressure -- a proven risk for heart disease. Here's the latest...
+[Read the High Blood Pressure and Erectile Dysfunction article > >](http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/erectile-dysfunction-high-blood-pressure)
+[Read the High Blood Pressure Diet article > >](http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/high-blood-pressure-diet)
 **Atherosclerosis:** the build-up of fatty deposits within the arteries, eventually may cause a blockage of blood flow or stiffening of the artery walls.
 **Balloon Angioplasty:** a procedure in which a small balloon at the tip of the catheter (see cardiac catheterization) is inflated while in an artery to stretch a narrowed artery opening and allow for increase blood flow.
 **Beta-Blockers:** one kind of medication used to treat high blood pressure, chest pain, and irregular heartbeat, and to help protect a person from heart disease. Beta-blockers work by blocking the effects of adrenaline in various parts of the body. Beta-blockers relieve stress to the heart so that it requires less blood and oxygen. As a result, the heart doesn't have to work as hard and blood pressure is lowered.