But left untreated, hypertension promotes atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries) and increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney damage and destruction of tiny blood vessels in the eye, which can result in vision loss. For these reasons hypertension is often called “the silent killer.”

For this reason, it’s important to check your blood pressure on a regular basis, at least once a year. If you have risk factors for high blood pressure, including being overweight, sedentary or if you have a family history of hypertension or heart disease, you should have it checked more often.