High blood pressure Elevated blood pressure is blood pressure that is slightly higher than normal. High blood pressure usually develops over time. Blood pressure that is slightly above normal increases the risk of developing chronic or long-term hypertension in the future. If your blood pressure is between 120/80 mmHg and 129/80 mmHg, you have elevated blood pressure. Learn more about how blood pressure is measured. 6 lifestyle factors that cause hypertension: Diabetes About 6 out of 10 people who have diabetes also have high blood pressure.1 Diabetes causes a buildup of sugars in the blood and also increases the risk of heart disease. Unhealthy diet A diet that is too high in sodium and too low in potassium puts you at risk for high blood pressure. Eating too much of the element sodium in table salt increases blood pressure. Most of the sodium we consume comes from processed and restaurant foods. Learn more about sodium and high blood pressure. Not eating enough potassium, a mineral the body needs to function properly, can also raise blood pressure. Potassium is found in many foods; bananas, potatoes, beans and yogurt contain plenty of it. Physical inactivity Regular physical activity helps the heart and blood vessels stay strong and healthy, which can help lower blood pressure. Regular physical activity can also help you maintain a healthy weight, which can also help lower blood pressure. Obesity Obesity is excess body fat. Being obese or overweight also means that your heart has to work harder to pump blood and oxygen around your body. Over time, this can cause strain on your heart and blood vessels. Obesity is associated with higher levels of "bad" cholesterol and triglycerides and lower levels of "good" cholesterol. Learn more about cholesterol. In addition to high blood pressure, obesity can also lead to heart disease and diabetes. Talk to your health care team about a plan to reduce your weight to a healthy level. Too much alcohol Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure.

• Women should not drink more than one drink a day.
• Men should not drink more than two drinks a day.
• Tobacco use

Tobacco use Tobacco use increases the risk of high blood pressure. Smoking can damage the heart and blood vessels. Nicotine raises blood pressure, and inhaling carbon monoxide, which is produced by smoking, reduces the amount of oxygen the blood can carry. Genetics and family history When family members pass traits from generation to generation through genes, this process is called heredity. Genes likely play a role in hypertension, heart disease and other related conditions. However, it is also likely that people with a family history of hypertension share a common environment and other potential factors that increase risk. The risk of high blood pressure can increase even more when heredity is combined with unhealthy lifestyles such as smoking and an unhealthy diet. Learn more about genetics and disease on the CDC's Office of Public Health Genomics website. Family health history is a record of diseases and health ailments that people in your family have suffered from. Family health history is a useful tool for understanding health risks and disease prevention. To help people collect and organize information about their family history, the CDC's Office of Public Health Genomics worked with the Surgeon General and other federal agencies to develop an online tool called My Family Health Portrait.   [cool_tag_cloud on_single_display="local"]