{"id":1250,"date":"2026-06-30T19:12:18","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T19:12:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/heart-disease\/?page_id=1250"},"modified":"2026-08-03T14:39:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T14:39:09","slug":"high-blood-pressure","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/heart-disease\/high-blood-pressure\/","title":{"rendered":"High Blood Pressure"},"content":{"rendered":"
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High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is the #1 controllable risk factor for heart disease and strokes. It is sometimes called the \u201csilent killer\u201d because it rarely causes symptoms. It is not unusual for the first sign of high blood pressure to be a heart attack or stroke.<\/p>\n

High blood pressure is very common. It affects about half of American adults.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, only one in five people with high blood pressure have it under good control. Many people with hypertension do not even know that they have it. Others may not realize that their blood pressure is too high or the dangers of uncontrolled high blood pressure. This leads to heart and blood vessel damage that could be prevented if the high blood pressure was diagnosed and controlled.<\/p>\n

Knowing and controlling your blood pressure can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease and strokes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Understanding High Blood Pressure<\/h2>\n

Blood pressure is the pressure of the blood pushing against the artery walls.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>

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When blood pressure is measured, two numbers are recorded:<\/p>\n