Blood pressure is the force created by the heart as it pumps blood through the body.
If the blood pressure is higher than normal, this is called hypertension. Most of the time there is no known cause for hypertension, but some medical conditions such as kidney disease or diabetes, or certain kinds of medications, can contribute to hypertension. Untreated high blood pressure can damage the heart, arteries and other organs, resulting in heart attack, stroke and kidney failures. The only way to be sure is to have your blood pressure checked regularly by a health professional. The doctor or nurse will place a blood pressure cuff on your arm and inflate it until the cuff restricts the blood flow in your arm.