Hypertension
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a common condition in which the force of the blood against your artery walls is high enough that it may eventually cause health problems, such as heart disease.
Blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood your heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in your arteries. The more blood your heart pumps and the narrower your arteries, the higher your blood pressure.
Symptoms
Most people with high blood pressure have no signs or symptoms, even if blood pressure readings reach dangerously high levels. A few people with high blood pressure may have headaches, shortness of breath or nosebleeds, but these signs and symptoms aren't specific and usually don't occur until high blood pressure has reached a severe or life-threatening stage.
Risk Factors
- Age — the risk increases as you get older
- Race — high blood pressure is particularly common among black people
- Family history
- Being overweight or obese
- Not being physically active
- Using tobacco
- Too much salt (sodium) in your diet
- Too little potassium in your diet
- Drinking too much alcohol
- Stress
- Certain chronic conditions such as kidney disease, diabetes or sleep apnea
Treatment
Changing your lifestyle can go a long way toward controlling high blood pressure. Your doctor may recommend eating a heart-healthy diet with less salt, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol, and not smoking. If lifestyle changes aren't enough, your doctor may recommend medication.
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