High blood pressure is a condition with serious health consequences that affects up to millions adults. When detected and treated early, however, it can reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease. What is Blood Pressure? Blood pressure is the outward force that blood exerts on artery walls. Arteries are the blood vessels that carry blood and oxygen from the lungs to all of the organs and tissues of the body. Arteries are composed of muscle and flexible, elastic connective tissue that stretch to accommodate the force of blood flow generated by the heart. And the pumping action of the heart is what allows blood to travel through these arteries. Blood pressure is expressed in two numbers. The top number, systolic blood pressure, reflects the force generated by the contractions of the heart. The bottom number, the diastolic blood pressure, refers to the pressure of blood against the walls of the arteries when the heart is rest...