Risk factors are things that make you more likely to have a disease or condition. Do you know your risk factors for high blood pressure?

High blood pressure (hypertension) is called the silent killer. This is because many people who have it don’t know it. You can take an easy test to see if your blood pressure is too high. If it is high, you can take steps to lower it. Doing so could save your life.

Several kinds of medicine are commonly prescribed for high blood pressure. Here are some of the main types.

You can take your own blood pressure reading using a digital monitor.

High blood pressure is a sneaky ailment. The condition has no symptoms that you can see or feel. Having your blood pressure checked is the only way to know if it is high.

A study in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that following the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet reduced blood pressure.