High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
Hypertension - or high blood pressure - is defined as a systolic blood pressure greater than 140 millimetres of mercury, or a diastolic blood pressure greater than 90 millimetres of mercury. The systolic blood pressure is determined by the strength of contraction of the heart, while the diastolic blood pressure is determined by the tone of the muscle in arterial walls. There are many contributory factors including family history, age, race, diet, stress, alcohol intake, and obesity. Hypertension is a risk factor for heart attack, stroke and heart failure. We can reduce our chances of developing heart disease by avoiding substances that increase blood pressure - salt, caffeine, tobacco, too much alcohol - and increasing exercise so that we do not gain too much weight. If the blood pressure remains elevated despite these measures there are effective treatments.
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