High Blood Pressure

High Blood Pressure or Hypertension is the most common chronic illness in America. The American Heart Association estimates that more than 62 million Americans over the age of six suffer from high blood pressure, and that only a minority of these people have their blood pressure under control. Many don't know they have hypertension, and go untreated, since you can have the disease for years before any symptoms develop. And, because you can be symptom-free, many people think high blood pressure is harmless.

Nothing, in fact, could be further from the truth! Left untreated, hypertension can lead to stroke, heart attack, kidney damage, congestive heart failure, and death.

Uncontrolled mild-to-moderate hypertension will reduce the life expectancy of a typical 35-year-old person by 16 years. Even the mildest form of high blood pressure, "borderline hypertension," can cut your life span by two to four years.

The good news is that more Americans each year are being diagnosed earlier--in routine physicals, workplace screening programs, and health education classes.

Because of extensive research, high blood pressure is actually one of the easiest diseases to diagnose. Breakthroughs in drug treatment  have saved millions of lives.

Next: What Is Blood Pressure?