All tests are free and results are confidential. High blood pressure tops the list but few people, other than medical professionals, truly know what blood pressure is or why it is important. I recently asked a friend what the term meant, she said she didn't really know. She only knew that high blood pressure is bad. And even though many of my relatives have high blood pressure, some of them will not take their medications and continue to eat high fat and highly seasoned foods.
Blood pressure is the amount of force exerted by the blood against walls of the arteries.
Everyone has to have some blood pressure so that blood can get to the body's organs and muscles. It's important to know if the heart is working too hard because it can lead to problems like enlargement of the heart, clogged arteries, kidney damage, heart attack and stroke, said Dr. David Jack, a cardiologist with Cardiology Associates of Corpus Christi. If there is a sudden increase in blood pressure, blood vessels could rupture in the brain and cause sudden death. Overworking your heart is like lifting weights. The heavier the weight, the more built up muscle you get.