Who is more likely to have high blood pressure?

People with other conditions, such as diabetes and kidney disease, are likely to become hypertensive. In addition, being overweight, drinking alcohol excessively (defined as more than two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women), and taking oral contraceptives may increase blood pressure. Overall, nearly one in three American adults has hypertension. More men than women have hypertension, until women reach menopause, when their risk becomes greater than men's. An estimated 27% of women have high blood pressure.