Blood is carried from the heart to all parts of your body in vessels called arteries. Blood pressure is the force of the blood pushing against the walls of the arteries. Blood pressure is always given as a two numbers, the systolic and diastolic pressures. Both numbers are important. High blood pressure is a blood pressure reading of 140/90 mmHg or higher. Blood pressure changes during the day. It is lowest as you sleep and rises when you get up. It also can rise when you are excited, nervous, or active. Nearly 1 in 3 American adults has high blood pressure. Many people may not know they have it until they have trouble with their heart, brain, or kidneys.

If blood pressure is high, it could lead to kidney damage and stroke, so it is important to keep normal blood pressure, however lowering blood pressure with prescription drugs may have unfortunate side effects. Diuretics cause the

…Continue reading Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)