High blood pressure, or hypertension, is the most common of all cardiovascular diseases in the industrialized world. It refers to the force of blood pushing against artery walls as it courses through the body.

A blood pressure reading appears as two numbers. The first and higher of the two is a measure of systolic pressure, or the peak force of blood as it is actually being pumped by the heart. The second number measures diastolic pressure, or the force of blood when the heart is filling for the next beat. Normal blood pressure rises steadily from about 90/60 at birth to about 120/80 in a healthy adult. People with blood pressure as high as 140/90 on at least two occasions are said to have high blood pressure.

In a vast majority of cases, there are no clear warning signs of hypertension or high blood pressure. If symptoms do occur, they may include headaches, chest pain or tightness, nosebleeds, numbness or tingling, excessive perspiration, muscle cramps, palpitations and frequent urination.