Clinical Nutrition

Lesson 28: Hypertension

High Blood Pressure Overview

The heart pumps blood into the arteries with enough force to push blood to the far reaches of each organ from the top of the head to the bottom of the < feet. Blood pressure can be defined as the pressure of blood on the walls of the arteries as it circulates < through the body. Blood pressure is highest as its leaves the heart through the aorta and gradually decreases as it enters smaller and smaller blood vessels (arteries, arterioles, and capillaries). Blood returns in the veins leading to the heart, aided by gravity and muscle contraction.