Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is one of the major risk factors for cerebrovascular disease such as stroke and coronary heart disease.
Your blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood your heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in your arteries. High blood pressure indicates that the heart is working harder than it should and the arteries are under great strain.
Normal blood pressure can vary from 90/60 mmHg to 120/80 mmHg in a young and healthy person. Hypertension is present when a person’s blood pressure is persistently above 140/90 mmHg.
If you have diabetes or kidney disease, you must try to keep your blood pressure at around 120/80 mmHg because even a marginally high blood pressure will increase your risk of developing complications.
