High blood pressure can damage and weaken your arteries. It is known as the silent killer because many people don't know they have this condition. High blood pressure is more common in some areas of the United States than others. High blood pressure is the most important risk factor for stroke. It can be controlled in several ways. You can take medications, lose weight, exercise regularly, eat healthily, reduce sodium in your diet, limit alcohol consumption, avoid tobacco and secondhand smoke, reduce caffeine, reduce stress, monitor your blood pressure at home, and get support from your family and friends High blood pressure is a known risk factor for heart disease. Researchers have constructed a genetic risk group to help predict the risk of strokes and heart attacks. For example, pulse pressure is an indicator of stiffness in the arteries that carry blood from the heart to the body, and different genes appear to control different aspects of blood pressure. High blood pressure is therefore in the danger zone for the heart. The high school environment ...