And with Thursday being observed as the World Hypertension Day, the city, doctors emphasise, should use the occasion to wake up to the problem.

Every change in posture, mood and emotion has a corresponding impact on our blood pressure. That is how closely blood pressure is related to our lifestyle.

The two biggest problems with hypertension is that almost 80% of the cases go undetected and secondly that it is a disease that cannot be isolated and if uncontrolled, with time it impacts different organs of the body.

``Hypertension goes undetected as most people don't become alert till they come down with something serious. All one needs to do is get blood pressure checked regularly. With growing stress in school and rising obesity amongst children, they are also becoming victims of hypertension. I would advice every child above the age of 3 years to have his blood pressure checked at least once annually,'' says Dr Sanjeev Gulati, senior consultant department of nephrology, Fortis Hospital.

WHAT HAPPENS IN CASE OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE OR HYPERTENSION

• Blood is carried from heart to all body parts through vessels called arteries

• In high blood pressure or hypertension, heart has to work harder to pump blood

• Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against walls of arteries

• In high blood pressure blood pushes harder against walls of arteries. Walls of arteries become thicker to adapt to the high blood pressure and to prevent the vessel from bursting

• As walls become thicker the space left for blood to flow decreases

• This results in decreased flow of blood to organs. The vessel can burst as well