... smoking, high salt intake, obesity, family history of high blood pressure, kidney disease and stress. Smoking is not a major factor in high blood pressure and only raises blood pressure slightly. The nicotine in cigarettes restricts blood vessels and raises the blood pressure. This is because the heart has to work harder to pump blood to all parts of the body. When the salt content of blood goes up, it attracts water from ... . There is salt as sodium outside every cell in the body. When the salt content of the fluid around your cells goes up, it attracts water from the blood and swellin...

• Word Count: 973
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School