Primary or Essential Hypertension which is a medical way of saying we don’t know the cause, accounts for 85 to 95% of cases of high blood pressure. It often runs in the family. The onset of essential hypertension is usually between the ages of 25 and 55.
	Secondary Hypertension is raised blood pressure associated with an underlying cause such as kidney disease, tumours or following the use of oral contraceptive pills. The are other causes which your doctor can determine.

From all of this it can be seen that throughout your adult life it is sensible to have your blood pressure regularly checked by your general practitioner who is in a position to evaluate the various readings.

Blood pressure readings can be influenced by anxiety, by the time of day - it is generally lower early in the morning and higher towards the end of the day, but the lowest reading is during sleep. It can be affected by the stress which you experience during the day.

In hypertension, the following points are important :

	Cigarette smoking increases the risk of developing narrowed arteries which are also a complication of high blood pressure.
	Obesity (overweight) is often associated with a rise in blood pressure and the blood pressure falls as you lose weight.
	It is generally accepted that a lower salt diet is recommended when a degree raised blood pressure is present.
	Emotional stress such as problems at home or at work may aggravate blood pressure. regular holidays and recreation may be all that is necessary to keep your blood pressure in check. For some people stress management helps their blood pressure to go down.
	Mild to moderate blood pressure responds to a