How is hypertension best defined?

Hypertension is best defined as abnormally high blood pressure, which reflects a condition where the force of the blood against the arterial walls is consistently too high. This condition is often measured using two values: systolic blood pressure (the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart beats) and diastolic blood pressure (the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart rests between beats). A diagnosis of hypertension is generally made when these values exceed normal ranges, indicating an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases and other health issues.

Understanding hypertension in this context is crucial because it helps illuminate why effective management and lifestyle changes are necessary for those diagnosed with this condition. Monitoring blood pressure can help in early identification of hypertension and allows for preventive measures to be taken to improve health outcomes.

The other options do not accurately describe hypertension. Low heart rate relates to bradycardia, decreased blood flow pertains to various other medical conditions, and normal blood pressure indicates a healthy state rather than a pathological condition. Thus, the definition provided by the correct choice precisely encapsulates the nature of hypertension.