High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a widespread chronic condition impacting over a billion people globally. Often called the “silent killer,” it typically shows no symptoms while progressively damaging vital organs. Without early detection and management, it can lead to life-threatening complications such as heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, and heart disease. Many individuals remain unaware they have it until a serious health crisis occurs.
Blood pressure measures the force of blood against artery walls, recorded as systolic (heart beating) over diastolic (heart resting) pressure. A healthy reading is around 120/80 mmHg, while readings consistently over 130/80 mmHg indicate hypertension. Prolonged high pressure forces the heart to work harder and can damage arteries, limiting blood flow to organs like the brain and kidneys.
