High Blood Pressure Explained in 9 Tweets

By Bharat Kumar, MD

With no real signs or symptoms, high blood pressure can sneak up on you. And it's more than just a couple of numbers - the higher your numbers, the higher your risk of dying.

So what is hypertension, and how can you steer clear of its dangers?

Experts, researchers and patients joined ABC News' chief health and medical editor Dr. Richard Besser to talk about high blood pressure in a Tweet chat Tuesday. The takeaway: You need to know your numbers, which means getting checked regularly. Even though you may not see or feel the effects hypertension, sooner or later, you may have to deal with it.

If you missed the chat, here are the highlights: