Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a condition in which the force of the blood against the artery walls is consistently too high. Blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood your heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in your arteries. When your heart pumps more blood and your arteries are narrower, your blood pressure increases. Hypertension can lead to serious health problems, including heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. Hypertension can develop over many years, and it can affect nearly everyone.
