Blood Pressure Basics

Blood Pressure and Other Conditions
Checking Blood Pressure
Why Control Blood Pressure?
Basic Anatomy of the Heart
Located almost in the center of the chest, the adult human heart is about the size of two fists held side-by-side.
Heed the Warning of Prehypertension
In many cases, the progression to high blood pressure occurs within four years of being diagnosed with prehypertension.
High Blood Pressure/Hypertension
High blood pressure, or hypertension, increases the risk for coronary heart disease (heart attack) and stroke (brain attack).
Hypertension: Children Can Have It, Too
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, isn't limited to those 18 and older.
The Lowdown on High Blood Pressure
If you have high blood pressure, you need to know, so you can control it. If you don't, you increase your risk for serious illness.
The Lowdown on Low Blood Pressure
Doctors often consider chronically low blood pressure too low only if it drops suddenly or causes noticeable symptoms.
Understanding Prehypertension
Prehypertension is a new term that alerts people to the risk of developing chronic high blood pressure if they don’t take timely steps to improve their lifestyle habits.
What Those Blood Pressure Numbers Mean
The two blood pressure numbers indicate how much pressure builds up in the arteries as the heart beats and between beats.