High blood pressure (hypertension) is a medical condition in which the force of the blood against the blood vessel walls is consistently too high. Normal blood pressure is below 120/80 mmHg, whereas hypertension is defined as a blood pressure reading of 130/80 mmHg or higher. High blood pressure increases the risk of serious health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease, and it is often called the "silent killer" because it often has no symptoms.
