High cholesterol among its many dangerous effects, can also lead to High blood pressure also known as Hypertension. Hypertension is one of the major risk factors contributing to heart attacks and strokes. When blood vessels become narrow, an increase in blood pressure occurs as the blood reacts to the resistance of the narrowed arteries. High blood pressure can damage the heart, the kidneys the liver and brain.

The problem with hypertension is that most people are not aware of having high blood pressure and that the cause of this condition is not known 90% of the time. It is known that being overweight, smoking, consuming alcohol in excess and lack of exercise can increase the risk of having high blood pressure.

A study conducted on 40 to 84 year old men had found that the ratio between the total overall cholesterol and the HDL cholesterol (also known as the good cholesterol responsible for cleansing the arteries from excess bad cholesterol) might significantly increase your overall blood pressure levels. It appears that men who did not manage their cholesterol levels properly (had higher than normal cholesterol levels of more than 200mg/dl and had a greater ratio of total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol, meaning their good cholesterol was also lower than required- 40 mg/dl). Had significantly increased their high blood pressure even though they did not have any genetic tendency causing Hypertension.

The study had clearly showed that men with high cholesterol levels had 23 percent more chance of developing hypertension, and men with highest ratio of total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol had 54 percent more chance of having high blood pressure than men with the lowest total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio.

Just like managing high cholesterol levels, the first step in lowering your blood pressure, is dietary and lifestyle changes. Stepping into a low fat, low cholesterol diet, taking vitamins and minerals, including antioxidants, exercising and meditating regularly can reduce overall cholesterol, increase HDL cholesterol and consequently help control hypertension and the risk involved in both.