Hypertension is high blood pressure, and hypotension is low blood pressure — the opposite condition. The prefix hyper- means over or above, while hypo- means under or below, so hyper-tension is pressure that is too high and hypo-tension is pressure that is too low.
The core difference
Hypertension is too much blood pressure; hypotension is too little.
- hypertension — persistently high blood pressure: a diet high in salt can contribute to hypertension.
- hypotension — abnormally low blood pressure: he felt dizzy on standing, a sign of hypotension.
How to tell them apart
Both words are built from tension, meaning pressure, with a prefix showing direction: hyper- for above and hypo- for below. The same pattern shows up in other medical pairs, such as hyperactive and hypoactive.
Confusion tends to happen because the two words look and sound so similar at a glance, especially when read quickly on a chart or in a report. Linking hyper- to words like hyperactive, which everyone knows means too much of something, is a reliable way to remember that hypertension is the high one.
