Hypertension is called a silent killer because you can have it for years and not know about it. High blood pressure increases your risks for getting heart attacks, heart failure, stroke or kidney failure.

Almost one in every third person is suffering from this condition and this maybe related to our modern lifestyle and food habits. Consumption of salt, smoking, over-weight, lack of exercise and stress are factors that can lead to increase in our blood pressure.

High Blood Pressure is a chronic condition and once you develop it usually will last a lifetime. To prevent this happening to you must fully understand the condition and take appropriate action.

If your blood pressure falls between the range of 120/80 and 140/90, you may have something called "Pre-Hypertension". Remember that more than one recording is usually required before a person can be designated hypertensive.

What is Blood Pressure

Normally the blood is pumped by the heart into the arteries and then it flows through smaller capillaries before it flows into the veins to return to the heart.

There are miles of blood vessels in our body. Blood pressure is the tension exerted by the flowing blood on the wall of the arteries. If the blood pressure is high the tension is high and hence high blood pressure is also called Hypertension (hyper meaning increase).

Taking Blood Pressure

During the recording of blood pressure two readings are taken. The upper reading is called the Systolic Pressure (as the heart beats) and this reading is higher than the second reading called the Diastolic Pressure (as the heart relaxes between beats). A consistent blood pressure reading of 140/90 mm Hg (mercury) or higher is considered high blood pressure, another term for hypertension. The normal recommended blood pressure is 120/80 mm of Hg .

The instrument that records the blood pressure is called Sphygmomanometer.