High Blood Pressure control

High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is dangerous because it makes the heart work harder to pump blood to the body and it contributes to hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis and the development of heart failure.

The exact causes of high blood pressure are not known. Several factors and conditions may play a role in its development, including:

Smoking

Being overweight

Lack of physical activity

Too much salt in the diet

Too much alcohol consumption (no more than 1 to 2 drinks per day)

Stress

Older age

Genetics

Family history of high blood pressure

Chronic kidney disease

There are usually no symptoms or signs of high blood pressure. In fact, nearly one-third of those who have it don't know it. The only way to know if you have high blood pressure definitely is to have your blood pressure checked.

If your blood pressure is extremely high, there may be certain symptoms to look out for, including:

Severe headache

Fatigue or confusion

Vision problems

Chest pain

Difficulty breathing

Irregular heartbeat

Blood in the urine