What Is High Blood Pressure? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention
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The following can increase your chances of developing high blood pressure.
Age The risk of high blood pressure increases as you age; the older you are, the more likely you are to develop high blood pressure. Blood vessels gradually lose their elasticity over time, which can contribute to high blood pressure.
The risk of prehypertension and high blood pressure has been increasing in recent years in young people too, including children and teens, possibly because of the rise in obesity in these populations.
Race High blood pressure is more common in Black American adults than in white, Asian, or Hispanic American adults.
Gender Men are more likely than women to be diagnosed with high blood pressure, until age 64. However, after that age, women are more likely to have high blood pressure.
Family History Having a family history of high blood pressure increases your risk, as the condition tends to run in families.
Weight The more you weigh, the more blood you need to supply oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. When the volume of blood pumping through your blood vessels increases, the pressure on your artery walls also rises.
Physical Activity People who are not active tend to have a higher heart rate and higher blood pressure than those who are physically active. Not exercising also increases the risk of being overweight.
Tobacco Use When you smoke or chew tobacco, your blood pressure rises temporarily, partly from the effects of nicotine. Moreover, chemicals in tobacco can damage the lining of your artery walls, which can cause your arteries to narrow, increasing your blood pressure. Being exposed to secondhand smoke may also increase your blood pressure.
Diet What you choose to eat (and not to eat) can increase your risk of hypertension:
Too much sodium can cause your body to retain fluid, which increases blood pressure.
Since potassium helps balance the amount of sodium in your cells, not getting enough of it can raise blood pressure.
Alcohol Use Over time, heavy alcohol use can damage the heart and lead to heart failure, stroke, and irregular heart rhythm. If you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation. The American Heart Association advises no more than two drinks a day for men or one drink a day for women. One drink equals 12 ounces (oz) of beer, 4 oz of wine, 1.5 oz of 80-proof spirits, or 1 oz of 100-proof spirits.
Stress Being under intense stress can lead to a temporary increase in blood pressure. Moreover, if you try to cope with stress by overeating, using tobacco, or drinking alcohol, all of these can contribute to high blood pressure.
Chronic Conditions Having kidney disease, sleep apnea, or diabetes can affect blood pressure.
Pregnancy Being pregnant can cause an increase in blood pressure. High blood pressure occurs in 1 in every 12 to 17 pregnancies in women ages 20 to 44.
Birth Control Women who take birth control pills have a greater risk of developing high blood pressure. It’s more likely to occur when women are overweight, have had high blood pressure during a previous pregnancy, have a family history of blood pressure, smoke, or have mild kidney disease.
Causes of Secondary Hypertension
When high blood pressure arises suddenly due to an identifiable condition, it’s called secondary hypertension.
The following conditions can lead to secondary hypertension, including:
Kidney problems
Adrenal gland tumors
Thyroid problems
Blood vessel defects
Obstructive sleep apnea
Alcohol abuse or chronic alcohol use
Illegal drugs, including cocaine and amphetamines
Drugs That Can Cause High Blood Pressure
Medications that you take to control other health conditions, such as arthritis, epilepsy, or allergies, can cause your blood pressure to rise.
They can also interfere with the ability of drugs used to keep blood pressure down.
The drugs below are some of the ones that may negatively affect blood pressure.
Pain Medications Common pain and anti-inflammatory medicines can lead to water retention, which can increase blood pressure and create problems with the kidneys.
Examples include:
Antidepressants These drugs work by changing the body’s response to chemicals that affect mood. That can also lead to an increase in blood pressure.
Examples of antidepressants that may elevate blood pressure include:
Decongestants These medicines, which include common cough, cold, and allergy drugs, are known to raise blood pressure and to alter the effectiveness of blood pressure medication.
Examples include pseudoephedrine (Sudafed, Contac) and phenylephrine (Sudafed PE).
Hormones Birth control pills can also affect blood pressure. Women who take birth control pills usually experience a small rise in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (the top and bottom numbers that are determined when you get your blood pressure checked).
Hormone therapy used to relieve symptoms of menopause can also cause a small rise in systolic blood pressure.
If you know you have high blood pressure but are considering hormone therapy, talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of undergoing hormone therapy, as well as the best ways to control your blood pressure.
Additionally, some recreational and illegal drugs, such as cocaine, ecstasy (MDMA), and amphetamines, are also known to increase blood pressure.
