Why hypertension is called the silent killer

What can we do to manage my high blood pressure? Should I be monitoring my blood pressure at home? Should I be taking medication to treat my high blood pressure? What lifestyle changes may help lower my blood pressure? What are my options if I have hypertension that is resistant to treatment? How often should I see you to make sure my blood pressure is in a healthy range? Heart News 1 2 3 4 5 Next ». What Causes Atrial Fibrillation?

View All News. More HeartSmarts for You Get to Know Your Blood Pressure. Blood Pressure Log. Blood Pressure Test. Causes of High Blood Pressure Hypertension. Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisers.

See our editorial policies and staff. High Blood Pressure. Understanding Blood Pressure Readings. Anti-Plagiarism system. Online first. Instructions for Authors. Instructions for Reviewers. Editorial Office. Editorial Board. Reviewers All Reviewers Katarzyna Sawicka 1, 2. Katarzyna Sawicka. It is an independent predisposing factor for heart failure, coronary artery disease, stroke, renal disease, and peripheral arterial disease.

It is the most important risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in industrialized countries. Google Scholar.

Global burden of hypertension: analysis of worldwide data. Lancet ; Eur Heart J ; Carretero OA, Oparil S. Essential hypertension. Part I: defi nition and etiology. Circulation ; 3 Stress, visceral obesity, and metabolic complications. Ann NY Acad Sci ; Dietary salt restriction and blood pressure in clinical trials. Curr Hypertens Rep ;9 4 Emergency department hypertension and regression to the mean.

Ann Emerg Med ;31 2 Hypertension and the Development of Heart Failure. Big risk factors are being overweight, too much salt sodium in your diet, smoking and not getting enough exercise.

Being overweight strains your heart. Exercise strengthens it. Aim for minutes of physical activity a week. Exercise will help you build your heart muscle and may also help you lose weight. Too much salt can cause you to retain fluid, which increases blood pressure. Salt hides in all processed foods, like hot dogs, lunch meats, pickles and all canned foods.

It's better to eat fresh or frozen vegetables. Salt also is in all cheese. Download an infographic about salt. Tobacco temporarily raises blood pressure in the short term, and can damage artery walls over time. Breaking the habit is one of the best things you can do for your health.

Stress may also play a role in developing the condition, either by temporarily increasing your blood pressure or by leading you toward unhealthy coping strategies, such as smoking or drinking too much alcohol.