• Quit Smoking
• Get Sensible Exercise
• Get Tested for Diabetes
• Control High Blood Pressure
• Form a Partnership for Health
• Keep Alcohol Use Moderate
• Strive for Balance
• Maintain a Health Body Weight

• What is Blood Pressure? What Happens When It's High?
• How is Blood Pressure Checked and What Do the Numbers Mean?
• What Causes High Blood Pressure?
• Preventing High Blood Pressure
• If You Have High Blood Pressure

• Activities and Calories Used in Exercise
• Sample Walking Program
• Test Your Physical Activity and Heart Disease IQ
• Successful Exercise at a Glance

• Low-fat Cooking
• Eating Right in Every Location
• Diet tips at a Glance
• Calculate Your Body Mass Index
• Using the Food Label
• What is Cholesterol and Why Does it Matter?
• What Your Cholesterol Numbers Mean
• What Affects Blood Cholesterol Levels
• What Can You Do to Lower Your Blood Cholesterol
• Eating Right and Staying Active
• A Daily Food Guide
• Shopping the Heart-Healthy Way

Anyone can develop high blood pressure. However, there are factors that increase the likelihood of developing the disease. For example, high blood pressure is more common in African-Americans than in Caucasians, and the disease develops earlier and is more severe in African-Americans. 

Other factors include: 

• Age and Gender -- Through the middle adult years, men have high blood pressure more often than women. However, as women age, particularly after menopause, they are more likely to have high blood pressure. The incidence of high blood pressure increases for both men and women in older age groups. It is estimated that more than half of all the Americans over age 65 have high blood pressure.
   

• Where You Live -- The southeastern states -- Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia -- have the highest rates of death from stroke, and high blood pressure is the number one risk factor for stroke.  In fact, the stroke rate for these states is so high they are called the "Stroke Belt States."
   

• Heredity -- Some families are more likely to develop high blood pressure than other families. If members of your family, such as your parents or grandparents, have high blood pressure, you may be at an increased risk of developing high blood pressure. If there have been problems with high blood pressure in your family, it is important that you and everyone in your family follow your doctor's recommendation about blood pressure screening and implement lifestyle choices that can help maintain a healthy blood pressure.

For most people, there is no single known cause of high blood pressure. This type of high blood pressure is called "primary" or "essential" hypertension. This type of blood pressure can't be cured, although in most cases it can be controlled. That's why it's so important for everyone to take steps to reduce their risk of developing high blood pressure. In a few people, high blood pressure can be traced to a known cause, such as tumors of the adrenal gland, chronic kidney disease, hormone abnormalities, use of birth control pills, or pregnancy. This is called "secondary hypertension." Secondary hypertension is usually cured if its cause passes or is corrected.