If your blood vessels are narrowed or clogged, extra strain is put on your heart as it has to work harder to pump blood around your body. This can be due to nicotine from smoking or to a build up of plaque from high cholesterol.
High blood pressure usually has no signs or symptoms – occasionally people with very high blood pressure say they experience headaches – so the only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to have yours measured. High blood pressure can lead to heart attack, stroke or kidney failure.
For most people, there may be no single cause for their high blood pressure. It is not known exactly what causes high blood pressure, but we do know that your lifestyle can affect your risk of developing it. You are at a higher risk if:
- you eat too much salt
- you don’t eat enough fruit and vegetables
- you are not active enough
- you are overweight
- you drink too much alcohol
- you are a smoker.