High blood pressure is a very common problem among all age groups; our risk of having high blood pressure increases as we get older but it is possible for children to have this problem as well. In children however, it is usually linked to an underlying problem and taking care of the problem (such as kidney disease) usually takes care of the blood pressure.

High blood pressure describes a situation where the flow of blood through the body is putting too much pressure against the walls of the arteries. Hence high blood pressure is also called hyper-tension because the pressure puts a strain or tension on the arteries.

High blood pressure can be a serious issue because in the early stages it has few symptoms and many people do not realize they have a problem until it becomes very serious or begins to cause major, long term problems. Some of the serious complications caused by high blood pressure include stroke, heart disease, kidney failure, heart attack and peripheral artery disease.

There are some symptoms to look out for as high blood pressure progresses but before it gets to a critical stage. Some of these are headaches, nausea, narrowing of the retinas, seizures, confusion and fatigue. All of these may be signs of a blood pressure problem and should be investigated as soon as possible.

As simple as high blood pressure may seem, it is still a very complex situation and no direct causes have been found that can specifically be said to cause high blood pressure. There are some factors however, that are recognized as being contributors to the problem including high salt intake, alcohol intake, obesity, genetics, vitamin D deficiency and ageing. As mentioned before, high blood pressure can also be the result of an underlying problem in the body, or because of pregnancy, sleep problems or medication.

So how do you prevent or cure high blood pressure? Exercise is known for improving blood flow and so is a highly effective way of lowering the blood pressure if done regularly. Eliminating alcohol, tobacco and of course reducing stress have also proven effective in lowering the blood pressure.

Reducing the intake of salt and sugar are other good ways to decrease the blood pressure, along with other dietary changes such as eating more fruits and vegetables, using  low-fat or fat-free dairy products, and adding a bit of garlic to your diet have all been shown to lower blood pressure in some people.

There may be situations where medication must be used to lower the blood pressure and there are quite a few available for such a purpose. The aim of all of them however, is just to control the blood pressure and keep it within a safe range.

Wherever possible, as many lifestyle changes as possible should be tried before turning to medication as a last resort, since multiple types of medication are usually required to keep the blood pressure under control and the medications may cause serious side effects.