Overview

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a condition in which the pressure of blood flowing through the arteries remains higher than it should. Over time, this extra pressure makes the heart and blood vessels work harder. Hypertension is hard to deal with because it usually develops slowly, and most people feel fine at first. Still, if you don't address it, it can slowly harm important organs such as the heart, brain, kidneys, and eyes. That's why people often call it a "silent" disease.

Symptoms
Most of the time, high blood pressure doesn't cause any noticeable symptoms at first. A lot of people only find out when they go in for a check-up. Some people may get headaches, feel dizzy, have trouble breathing, or see things clearly when their blood pressure is very high or stays high for a long time. But these signs don't always mean what they say. The main worry is what will happen in the long run, since high blood pressure raises the risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney problems.

Causes
Hypertension usually develops slowly over time for a number of reasons, not just one. Lifestyle is a big factor. Eating too much salt, not getting enough exercise, being stressed, smoking, and being overweight all make things worse. Diabetes and kidney disease are two more things that can raise the risk. Age and family history are also important, so some people are more likely to get it. In a limited number of instances, hypertension may be associated with an underlying medical condition or specific pharmacological treatments.

Diagnosis
It's easy to diagnose; you just have to check your blood pressure with a cuff, usually more than once, to make sure it's always high. To identify what might be causing the problem and how it might be affecting other organs, doctors may also recommend blood tests, urine tests, or other tests. Blood pressure can change during the day, so it's important to check it regularly.

Treatment
The goal of treatment is to lower and control blood pressure to avoid problems. The first step is to change your lifestyle by eating less salt, staying active, keeping a healthy weight, managing stress, and not smoking. When needed, doctors often prescribe medications that can work very well. Most people with high blood pressure can keep their levels under control and live normal, healthy lives if they get regular checkups and care.