High blood pressure can affect all types of people. About 1 in every 5 adults in the U.S. has high blood pressure. High blood pressure occurs more often in men than in women, and in African Americans almost twice as often as in Caucasians. Most people feel no symptoms with uncomplicated high blood pressure. Essential hypertension (hypertension with no known cause) is not fully understood, but accounts for between 80-85% of all hypertension cases in people over 45 years of age. Even though many times high blood pressure does not have a known cause, the condition can still be treated effectively with both lifestyle changes and medications. Lifestyle changes include following a low sodium diet, exercising, quitting smoking, losing weight, and avoiding excessive alcohol intake. There are dozens of different medications available for the management of high blood pressure.
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