What is a significant reason why hypertension is often referred to as a "silent disease"?

Hypertension is frequently termed a "silent disease" primarily because patients typically do not exhibit noticeable symptoms until the condition has progressed to more severe stages. This lack of symptoms can lead individuals to believe that they are healthy, which can prevent them from seeking regular medical check-ups or monitoring their blood pressure. As a result, hypertension can go undetected for long periods, contributing to a higher risk of serious health complications such as heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease when left untreated.

The other choices, while they touch on different aspects of hypertension, do not address the core reason behind its classification as a silent condition. For instance, while some patients may find it challenging to measure their blood pressure without the necessary tools, this does not encapsulate the silence of the disease. Similarly, although hypertension can affect older individuals, it is not exclusive to this demographic, and its silent nature can indeed manifest in younger populations as well. Lastly, misdiagnosis could occur, but it does not explain the fundamental lack of overt symptoms that characterize hypertension.