What is it?

Essential hypertension is high blood pressure that doesn’t have a known underlying cause (such as kidney disease). It’s also referred to as primary hypertension. This is the most common type of hypertension.
Blood pressure is defined as the amount of pressure that is exerted on the artery walls as blood moves through them. Two measurements are used to measure blood pressure:
*Systolic pressure - the measure of blood pressure exerted when your heart beats and forces blood around your body.
*Diastolic pressure - the measure of blood pressure when your heart is resting in between beats.
Risk factors for developing essential hypertension include: family history of hypertension, advanced age, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, being overweight, high sodium consumption, stress and lack of physical activity.
High blood pressure is itself a major risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease, Such as ischemic heart disease and stroke, and therefore it should be controlled.