Hypertension

According to the CDC, nine of 10 American adults consume too much salt and the leading culprit is not potato chips or popcorn but slices of bread and dinner rolls.

Overview

Hypertension or high blood pressure is a chronic medical condition in which the pressure or tension in the arteries is elevated. It is often called the "silent disease" as it has no symptoms and can go undetected for years, damaging your tissues and vital organs. If you have hypertension, your heart works harder than it should to pump blood to distant tissues and organs. If this pressure isn't controlled, your heart enlarges and your arteries become scarred, hardened and less flexible. Eventually, your overworked heart may not be able to pump and transport blood properly through stiff arteries. This can result in heart disease, kidney disease, the hardening of the arteries, eye damage, and stroke. Hypertension can be caused by a number of factors including your genes, underlying disease and lifestyle. It is therefore important to go for regular blood pressure check-ups.