What is High Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is simply the force with which our hearts pump blood throughout our bodies.

High blood pressure (also called "hypertension") is when our hearts pump blood at unhealthy, accelerated levels causing extra pressure on the artery walls.

Who Gets It?
High blood pressure can occur in children or adults, but it's more common among people over age 35. It's particularly prevalent in African Americans, middle-aged and elderly people, obese people, heavy drinkers, and women who are taking birth control pills. It may run in families, but many people with a strong family history of high blood pressure never have it. People with diabetes mellitus, gout or kidney disease are more likely to have high blood pressure, too.

Dangers
Having high blood pressure is dangerous because it directly increases the risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. It is even more dangerous if high blood pressure is present along with other risk factors for heart attack and stroke.

Symptoms
High blood pressure has no symptoms. One in four adult Americans has high blood pressure, and nearly one-third of them don't know they have it. If you haven't had your blood pressure checked in a while, make an appointment now.
   

Why Should We Care?

There are many reasons listed above. To focus on just one, high blood pressure is the single most important risk factor for stroke. About 700,000 Americans will have a new or recurrent stroke this year and over 163,500 of them will die. Stroke is the third leading cause of death among Americans. It's also a leading cause of serious, long-term disability. Many people mistakenly think of stroke as an "old person's disease." But thousands of strokes occur in people under the age of 65.

CONTENT SOURCE: www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=2142

The American Heart Association's recommended blood pressure levels:
 

Blood Pressure Category First Number:
Systolic(mm Hg) 		  Second Number:
Diastolic(mm Hg) 		 
Normal less than 120 and less than 80  
Pre-hypertension 120-139 or 80-89  
         
High        
Stage 1 140-159 or 90-99  
Stage 2 160 or higher or 100 or higher  


Please note, doctors typically evaluate unusually low blood pressure readings, as well.