What Is Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)?
Blood pressure is the tension of the blood within the blood vessels. If blood is pumped too forcefully, or if the blood vessels are too narrow, the pressure of the blood against the walls of the vessels rises. If high blood pressure is not treated, over time, the increased pressure can damage blood vessels or it can cause the heart to work too hard and may decrease the flow of blood to the heart, brain, and kidneys. As a result, these organs may become damaged and not function correctly. If high blood pressure is controlled, this damage is less likely to happen.
