THE CAUSES OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
When referring to the causes of hypertension, it is divided into two categories:
Essential high blood pressure (primary high blood pressure) – no cause has been identified.
Secondary high blood pressure – the high blood pressure has an underlying cause, such as kidney disease, or a specific medication the patient is taking.
Even though there is no identifiable cause for essential high blood pressure, there is strong evidence linking some risk factors to the likelihood of developing the condition. Most of the causes below are essential high blood pressure risk factors; there are also a couple of secondary high blood pressure examples:
AGE – THE OLDER YOU ARE THE HIGHER THE RISK
Family history
if you have close family members with hypertension, your chances of developing it are significantly higher. An international scientific study involving over 150 scientists from 93 centers in Europe and the USA identified eight common genetic differences which may increase the risk of high blood pressure.
Temperature
A study which monitored 8801 participants over the age of 65 in three French cities, found that systolic and diastolic blood pressure values differed significantly across the four seasons of the year and according to the distribution of outdoor temperature. Blood pressure was lower when it got warmer, and rose when it got colder.
Ethnic background
evidence in Europe and North America indicates that people with African and/or South Asian ancestry have a higher risk of developing hypertension, compared to people with predominantly Caucasian or Amerindian (indigenous of the Americas) ancestries.
Obesity/overweight
overweight refers to having extra body weight from muscle, bone, fat and/or water. Obesity tends to refer just to having a high amount of extra body fat. Both overweight and obese people are more likely to develop high blood pressure, compared to people of normal weight.
Some aspects of gender
in general, high blood pressure is more common among adult men than adult women. However, after the age of 60 both men and women are equally susceptible. Women aged 18-59 are more likely to identify the signs and symptoms and subsequently to seek treatment for high blood pressure, compared to men.
Physical inactivity
lack of exercise, as well as having a sedentary lifestyle, raises the risk of hypertension.
Smoking
Smoking causes the blood vessels to narrow, resulting in higher blood pressure. Smoking also reduces the blood’s oxygen content so the heart has to pump faster in order to compensate, causing a rise in blood pressure.
Alcohol intake
The risk may even sometimes include people who drink regularly, but not in excess. People who drink regularly have higher systolic blood pressure than people who do not, say researchers from the University of Bristol, UK. They found that systolic blood pressure levels are about 7 mmHg higher in frequent drinkers than in people who do not drink.
High salt intake
researchers from the University of Michigan Health System reported that societies where people don’t eat much salt have lower blood pressures than places where people eat a lot of salt.
High fat diet
many health professionals say that a diet high in fat leads to a raised high blood pressure risk. However, most dietitians stress that the problem is not how much fat is consumed, but rather what type of fats. Fats sourced from plants, such as avocados, nuts, olive oil, etc., as well as omega oils which are common in some types of fish, are good for you – while, saturated fats which are common in animal sourced foods, as well as trans fats are bad for you.
Mental stress
various studies have compelling evidence that mental stress, especially over the long term, can have a serious impact on blood pressure. An interesting study carried out by researchers at the University of Texas, suggested that how air traffic controllers handle stress can affect whether they are at risk of developing high blood pressure later in life. In view of this study, and many others that focus on stress management, it would be fair to assume that some levels of stress which are not managed properly can raise the risk of hypertension.
Diabetes
people with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing hypertension. Among patients with diabetes type 1, hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) is a risk factor for incident hypertension in type 1 diabetes – intensive insulin therapy reduces the long-term risk of developing hypertension. People with diabetes type 2 are at risk of hypertension due to hyperglycemia, as well as other factors, such as overweight/obesity, certain medications, and some cardiovascular diseases.
Psoriasis
An American study that followed 78,000 women for 14 years found that having psoriasis was linked to a higher risk of developing high blood pressure and diabetes. Psoriasis is an immune system condition that appears on the skin in the form of thick, red scaly patches.
Low birth weight
the link between low birth weight and hypertension becomes stronger as individuals get older – especially among white males, as opposed to female and males and female of Afro-Americans, scientists at the Tulane Center for Cardiovascular Health, New Orleans
reported.
Pregnancy
pregnant women have a higher risk of developing hypertension than women of the same age who are not pregnant. It is the most common medical problem encountered during pregnancy, complicating 2% to 3% of all pregnancies. Most countries divide hypertensive disorders in pregnancy into four categories: 1. Chronic hypertension, 2. Preeclampsia-eclampsia, 3. Preeclampsia superimposed on chronic hypertension. 4. Gestational hypertension.
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