High blood pressure, which is also called HBP and Hypertension is a serious condition that can lead to coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, and many other health problems. 

About 1 in 3 adults in the United States has high blood pressure and it usually has no symptoms. You can have it for years without knowing it. But, during this time it can damage the heart and the rest of your body.

High blood pressure or hypertension is called the silent killer because it often has no symptoms and can cause serious diseases if it goes untreated for a long time.

This is why knowing your blood pressure numbers is important, even when you’re feeling fine. If your blood pressure is normal, you can work with your health care team to keep it that way. If your blood pressure is too high, you need treatment to prevent damage to your body’s organs.

Blood pressure is like the pressure inside a tire. It's simply the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. If that pressure gets too high, it will damage body organs, and you can actually have a blowout or an aneurysm.

An aneurysm is a blood-filled dilation (balloon-like bulge) of a blood vessel or artery. The bulge in a blood vessel can burst and lead to death at any time. The larger an aneurysm becomes, the more likely it is to burst.

Each time your heart beats, it pumps out blood into the arteries. Your blood pressure is highest when your heart beats, pumping the blood. This is called systolic pressure. When your heart is at rest, between beats, your blood pressure falls. This is the diastolic pressure.

Your blood pressure reading uses these two numbers, the systolic and diastolic pressures. Usually they are written one above or before the other. A reading of 120/80 or lower is normal blood pressure, 140/90 or higher is high blood pressure.

The actual causes of hypertension and high blood pressure are not known, but things that seem to lead to HBP are alcohol, tobacco, and fatty foods. Stress is also considered a major factor and people who are obese or overweight usually have high blood pressure too.

The simple truth is that mose people who have high blood pressure can take steps to control it and reduce their risks for related health problems. Key steps include following a healthy lifestyle, having ongoing medical care, and following the treatment plan that your doctor prescribes. Yes, you can control high blood pressure through healthy lifestyle habits and taking medicines if needed. The key is to always know and watch your numbers and if they begin to climb - get to you doctor.

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