Blood pressure is the measurable force with which blood travels through the blood streams. The blood circulates through the body, and it presses against the walls of the arteries. An artery is a blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

The force at which the blood circulates through the body and it presses against the walls of the arteries is called blood pressure.

When the pressure is too high, the arterial wall becomes distorted and it may narrow or thicken and an extra burden of stress is placed on the heart.

The causes are  a diet that is high in fats, sugar and salt, use of alcohol or caffeine and other stimulants, smoking, obesity, inactivity, pregnancy or birth-control pills, underlying medical disorders, heavy-metal poisoning.