High blood pressure is a condition in which the muscles in the walls of the arteries constrict causing the heart to pump harder or in which the arteries have lost their elasticity due to arteriosclerosid. Consistent blood pressure readings higher than 140/90 indicate the existance of this condition. High blood pressure may be associated with headaches, light headedness, ringing in the ears, and nose bleeds or no obvious symptoms at all.

The risk factors of high blood pressure include:

Excess weight

Sedentary life style

Nutritional deficiencies

Poorly managed stress

Smoking

Excessive use of stimulants; tea, coffee, high sodium intake

The contraceptive pill

Drug abuse

Aspirin is used to treat raised blood pressure by thining the blood.Whilst this form of treatment can reduce the risk of a heart attack by 20%, vitamin E is four times more effective according to a double-blind controlled trial undertaken at Cambridge University Medical School.