Blood pressure is a measure of the force that the blood applies to the walls of the arteries as it flows through them. It’s normal for blood pressure to increase when you exert yourself, or when you feel stressed or anxious. But if your blood pressure is consistently higher than normal at rest, this is high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.

High blood pressure (hbp) or hypertension means high pressure (tension) in the arteries. Arteries are vessels that carry blood from the pumping heart to all the tissues and organs of the body. High blood pressure does not mean excessive emotional tension, although emotional tension and stress can temporarily increase blood pressure.

Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Each time your heart beats, it pumps out blood into the arteries. Your blood pressure is highest when your heart beats, pumping the blood. This is called systolic pressure. When your heart is at rest, between beats, your blood pressure falls. This is the diastolic pressure.

The most commonly used diuretic to treat high blood pressure in the UK is called bendroflumethiazide (bendrofluazide) – but there are others. For example, chlorothiazide, chlorthalidone, cyclopenthiazide, hydrochlorothiazide, and indapamide. Diuretics work by increasing the amount of salt and fluid that you pass out in your urine. This has some effect on reducing the fluid in the circulation which reduces blood pressure.

They may also have a ‘relaxing’ effect on the blood vessels which reduces the pressure within the blood vessels. Only a low dose of a diuretic is needed to treat high blood pressure. Therefore, you will not notice much diuretic effect (you will not pass much extra urine).

The preferred treatment of choice for those suffering high blood pressure is usually a change of lifestyle. For those who are overweight, smoke, lead highly stressful lives or seldom exercise, sometimes this is the only wake up call they need. Once they make the necessary lifestyle adjustments, they will often find their blood pressure symptom restored to a more normal range.

Slightly raised blood pressure may not need to be treated so aggressively, but regular monitoring is important.If you have very severe high blood pressure, you may need to go to hospital for treatment. But it’s much more likely that you will be cared for by your GP and/or a nurse.

A recent study showed that they can be accurate, but sometimes are not. It usually is not possible to tell whether a particular machine is working properly. The cuff should inflate and fit snugly around your arm.

Diabetes considerably increases the risk of cardiovascular disease if hypertension is also present, so the targets for blood pressure control in diabetes are tighter.

High blood pressure can occur in children or adults, but it’s more common among people over age 35. It’s particularly prevalent in African Americans, middle-aged and elderly people, obese people, heavy drinkers and women taking birth control pills.

It may run in families, but many people with a strong family history of high blood pressure never have it. People with diabetes mellitus, gout or kidney disease are more likely to have high blood pressure, too.