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Blood pressure is the force of the blood pushing the walls of the arteries that carry blood from the heart to all body tissues and organs. Each time the heart beats (about 60-70 times a minute at rest), it pumps out blood onto the arteries creating some pressure. Blood pressure is highest when the heart contracts and blood is pumped. This is called systolic pressure when the heart is at rest, in between beats, blood pressure persists, but decreases. This is the diastolic pressure, These two figures, systolic and diastolic pressures, usually denote blood pressure.

Different actions may increase or decrease your blood pressure. For example, if you cur for a bus, your blood pressure goes up. When you sleep at night, your blood pressure goes down. These changes in blood pressure are common.

However, some people have blood pressure that stays up most of the time. In your case, if it is high, you can take steps to slower it. Just as important, if your blood pressure is normal, you can keep it from going high. If untreated, high blood pressure can lead to serious problems, like:

- Arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries): High blood pressure harms the arteries by making them thick and stuff. This increases cholesterol and fat in the blood vessels, which prevents the blood from flowing through the body, and in due course, can lead to a heart attack.

- Heart attack: When the arteries that transport blood to the heart get blocked, the heart doesn't get sufficient oxygen. Reduced blood flow can cause chest pain (angina). Ultimately, this block may stop the blood flow completely, leading to a heart attack.

- Heart enlargement: High blood pressure makes the heart work harder over time. This causes the heart lining to thicken and stretch. Finally the normal function of the heart fails, causing fluids to flood into the lungs. This manifests in the form of breathlessness.

- Kidney damage: The kidney acts as a filter and clears the body of wastes. High blood pressure, over a period can narrow and thicken the blood vessels in the kidney. The kidney filters less fluid, and waste builds up in the blood. This may lead to a kidney failure.

- Stroke: High blood pressure can harm the arteries, causing them to narrow faster. If a blood clot blocks one of the narrowed arteries, a stroke may occur. A stroke can also occur when very high pressure causes a rupture in weakened blood vessels in the brain.
For most people, there is no known cause of high blood pressure. This type of high blood pressure is called primary or essential hypertension. As the cause is not known, there is no satisfactory "cure" for this type of blood pressure. However, in most cases, it can be controlled.

In a few people, high blood pressure can be treated to a known cause like tumors of the adrenal gland, chronic kidney diseases, hormone abnormalities, use of birth control pills, or pregnancy, This is called secondary hypertension. This type is usually cured if its cause is known and corrected.

SELF HELP APPROACH
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Be physically active
- Restrict foods rich in salt
- Avoid alcohol, smoking and mental stress