(NewsNation) — The blood impacts the heart and brain in vital ways.
That’s why high blood pressure is something to monitor.
High blood pressure is a common precursor to other health problems, like heart attacks and strokes.
What is hypertension?
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, occurs when the force of blood against the walls of your arteries is consistently too high. A blood pressure level of 130 over 80 or higher indicates hypertension, according to most recent guidelines, stiffening the arteries and making the heart work harder.
A normal level is less than 120 over 80. Blood pressure naturally fluctuates throughout the day and is higher when you’re physically active or stressed.
Hypertension can cause heart problems and strokes. Reducing high blood pressure can reduce the risk of both.
What is heart disease?
Heart disease is a broad term that refers to multiple heart conditions, including coronary artery disease, which disrupts blood flow to the heart commonly causing heart attacks.
High blood pressure and high blood cholesterol are a key risk factors to developing heart disease.
While many forms of heart disease are developed over time, congenital heart disease is present at birth.
What is a stroke?
A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or ruptures, causing parts of the brain to become damaged or die.
Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death for Americans and a leading cause of long-term disability. Each year, approximately 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke, 610,000 of which are first-time strokes.
High blood pressure is a contributing factor to having a stroke.
NewsNation’s Andrew Dorn and Taylor Delandro contributed to this report.