by Gail Kismet

Created on: March 31, 2008   Last Updated: May 13, 2008

Hypertension is just a fancy way of saying high blood pressure. It sounds more serious when using the word hypertension, but in reality, there isn't a word in the English language to make it sound as serious as it really is.

High blood pressure can lead to heart disease (the number one killer in America). That fact alone should make you sit up and take notice to the seriousness of this condition. There's good news, though. Hypertension isn't a death sentence. It's easily diagnosed and treated. The only variable is you. So, are you ready to take responsibility for your blood pressure?

First of all, you should have your blood pressure checked at least once a year. Your doctor can do this for you at your annual check up, or you can check it at home (you can buy automatic blood-pressure cuffs at most pharmacies). There are no real symptoms for high blood pressure, so regularly checking it is your best and safest bet. In many cases high blood pressure itself is the symptom of something more grave down the road such as stroke, heart disease or kidney problems.

Medical minds tend to agree that the range for a normal blood pressure is anything under 120/80. That's a vague generalization, though. Most people have unique blood pressures and it's a good idea to talk to your doctor about what your normal range is.

Let's talk about what blood pressure really is. When your heart pumps blood to your organs, it pumps at a pretty high speed. As that blood is rushing through your arteries and veins it's creating pressure against the walls. If the passageway through which the blood travels is narrower, then the blood pressure gets higher.

How do these passageways get narrow? Well, that is the million dollar question. The causes of hypertension are similar causes to heart disease. Things such as obesity, smoking, stress, poor diet choices and lack of exercise all make the list. These are all the controllable possible causes, though. Other non-controllable contributions may be genetics, older age, or adrenal and thyroid disorders. Basically there are several ways to get high blood pressure. Fortunately, there are also several ways to lower it.

Treatment of high blood pressure doesn't necessarily come in prescription form. Simple things like changing your diet, consuming less salt, exercising more and quitting smoking will help a lot.

If you decide to go on a diet, you should consult with your doctor before doing so. Every person is unique and not all diets work for everybody. But

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