In most cases, doctors can't point to the exact cause. But several things are known to raise blood pressure, including being very overweight, drinking too much alcohol, having a family history of high blood pressure, eating too much salt, and getting older. Your blood pressure may also rise if you are not very active, you don't eat enough potassium and calcium, or you have a condition called insulin resistance.

Your heart pumps blood through a network of arteries, veins, and capillaries. The moving blood pushes against the arterial walls, and this force is measured as blood pressure. High blood pressure results from the tightening of very small arteries (arterioles) that regulate the blood flow through your body. As these arterioles tighten (or constrict), your heart has to work harder to pump blood through the smaller space, and the pressure inside the vessels grows.

Blood pressure is a measure of how hard the blood pushes against the walls of your arteries as it moves through your body. It's normal for blood pressure to go up and down throughout the day, but if it stays up, you have high blood pressure. Another name for high blood pressure is hypertension. When blood pressure is high, it starts to damage the blood vessels, heart, and kidneys. This can lead to heart attack, stroke, and other problems.

There are at two explanations for the positive effects of slow breathing on blood pressure. The first is a simple physiological response: Breathing slowly and deeply relaxes muscle tension, particularly in the chest area, which allows the blood vessels to open up and relieve pressure on the heart. Now there is a new theory proposed by Dr. David Anderson of the National Institute of Health that has less to do with relaxation.

High blood pressure, also called hypertension (or "HTN") is the most common of all cardiovascular diseases in the industrialized world. According to research, 44-51% of overweight individuals have high blood pressure.

High blood pressure is the leading cause of stroke and a major cause of heart attack. It is also strongly associated with type 2 diabetes, high triglycerides, high cholesterol, and insulin resistance. Consistently high blood pressure forces the heart to work beyond its capacity. This can injure blood vessels as well as damage the brain, eyes, and kidneys.

A.Not really. The word "disease" generally implies sickness, and an inability to function properly. The vast majority of people with high blood pressure are not sick in this sense: they have no symptoms, they don't look sick, and they can do the same things as anybody else. It's only when blood pressure gets to very high levels (technically referred to as malignant hypertension) that it makes people feel sick.

Most people find out they have high blood pressure during a routine doctor visit. For your doctor to confirm that you have high blood pressure, your blood pressure must be at least 140/90 on three or more separate occasions. It is usually measured 1 to 2 weeks apart. You may have to check your blood pressure at home if there is reason to think the readings in the doctor's office aren't accurate.

Get 3,500 mg of potassium in your diet every day. Fresh, unprocessed whole foods have the most potassium. These foods include meat, fish, nonfat and low-fat dairy products, and many fruits and vegetables. Follow the DASH eating plan (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). This diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products and is low in fat. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor.

The American Heart Association considers a normal blood pressure to be less than 119 (systolic) / 79 (diastolic); your doctor or nurse might communicate this as "119 over 79".

Patients with these medical conditions can safely undergo joint replacement operation. These conditions need to be controlled well with medication prior to surgery.

Race. African Americans are more likely to develop high blood pressure, often have more severe high blood pressure, and are more likely to develop the condition at an earlier age than others. Why they are at greater risk is not known. Long-term use of pain medicines like NSAIDs—for example, naproxen (such as Aleve) or ibuprofen (such as Motrin or Advil)—or COX-2 inhibitors, such as celecoxib (Celebrex). Aspirin does not increase your risk for developing high blood pressure.

To treat both high blood pressure and angina, physicians often rely on "combination therapy" consisting of nitrate medicine plus a beta-blocker, or nitrate medicine plus a calcium channel blocker (CCB). Coronary artery bypass is now commonplace and even less risky than gallbladder surgery in most people. In addition, the recovery time for bypass surgery is much shorter than it was a decade ago.