How to Prevent High Blood Pressure

Also called: Lowering High Blood Pressure On this page Basics Summary Start Here Prevention and Risk Factors Learn More Related Issues Specifics Genetics See, Play and Learn Videos and Tutorials Test Your Knowledge Research Clinical Trials Journal Articles Resources Find an Expert For You Patient Handouts Summary Around half of American adults have high blood pressure (hypertension). Many of those people don't know they have it because there are usually no warning signs. This can be dangerous, because high blood pressure can lead to life-threatening conditions like heart attack or stroke. The good news is that you can often prevent or treat high blood pressure. Early diagnosis and heart-healthy lifestyle changes can keep high blood pressure from seriously damaging your health.What is blood pressure?Each time your heart beats, it pumps blood into your arteries (the blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to the tissues and organs in your body). Blood pressure is the force of your...