Hypertension is a condition in which a person's blood pressure is consistently higher than normal, causing a disruption of internal homeostasis. As a result, a person with hypertension usually has a blood pressure higher than 140/90. High blood pressure makes it difficult for the heart to work and may even damage the walls of the blood vessels. Gradually, the heart and arteries are severely damaged by high blood pressure. People with high blood pressure don't usually show any obvious signs of illness, so it's sometimes called the "silent killer".

High blood pressure and atherosclerosis are closely linked: when arteries narrow, blood pressure increases, causing hypertension. When people are too obese or lack exercise can increase the incidence of high blood pressure.

For early hypertensive patients, regular physical exercise, taking medication on time as prescribed by the doctor, and having a controlled diet can lower blood pressure. For example, hypertensive patients should consume sodium in moderation because sodium raises blood pressure. Sodium is typically found in table salt and some processed foods (soups and packaged fast foods).