High blood pressure is a major public health concern in the United States. It can lead to heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. The recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that an estimated 70 million people in the U.S. have high blood pressure with most not knowing they have it.
Many factors can contribute to this condition, which is often called the “silent killer” because you might not experience any symptoms. While some risk factors are out of your control—such as age, family history, race/ethnicity, and gender—there are many things you can do to help lower your risk of developing high blood pressure or prevent it from worsening over time. Here are 10 factors that increase the risk of high blood pressure.>>END>>.
What is high blood pressure?
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is when your blood pressure stays elevated over time.
A normal blood pressure reading is 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).
If it’s 140/90 or higher, then you have high blood pressure.
There are many different types of high blood pressure, depending on the amount of force in the arteries and how often they are elevated.
Some people with high blood pressure might not experience any symptoms at all, while others might experience chest pain, headaches, difficulty breathing, confusion or dizziness.
The causes of high blood pressure
High blood pressure is a major public health concern in the United States. It can lead to heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. The recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that an estimated 70 million people in the U.S. have high blood pressure with most not knowing they have it.
Many factors can contribute to this condition, which is often called the “silent killer” because you might not experience any symptoms. While some risk factors are out of your control – such as age, family history, race/ethnicity, and gender – there are many things you can do to help lower your risk of developing high blood pressure or prevent it from worsening over time. Here are 10 factors that increase the risk of high blood pressure:
1) Obesity:
Obesity puts you at a higher risk for developing high blood pressure because it causes increased production of hormones and inflammatory markers that promote vasoconstriction (narrowing of your arteries) and raises your blood pressure.
2) Stress:
Stress is another factor that can make your body produce more cortisol which increases heart rate and constricts your arteries. Additionally, stress may lead to increased appetite which leads to obesity which we just discussed!
3) Alcohol:
Drinking too much alcohol or drinking on a regular basis makes it difficult for your body to adjust its fluid balance in response to physical activity and hot weather which places an additional strain on your cardiovascular system and increases
Factors that increase the risk for developing high blood pressure
– Age:
As you age, your arteries naturally harden and become more rigid. This makes it difficult for the heart to pump blood through your arteries when your body needs it most—during moments of physical exertion. A study from Sweden found that people age 65 and older are two times more likely to have high blood pressure than those in their 40s.
– Family history:
If a parent or grandparent had high blood pressure, you have a higher chance of developing the condition yourself. Also, if you have a close relative who has kidney disease or has had a stroke, this increases your risk.
– Race/ethnicity:
African Americans and Latino Americans are at greater risk for hypertension than white Americans because African Americans have higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and kidney failure while Latino Americans have lower rates of these conditions. In fact, one in three African American adults suffers from high blood pressure with about 16 percent not knowing they have it!
– Gender:
Women face an increased risk for developing high blood pressure than men because they tend to be smaller in stature which means that their heart rate is faster than men’s hearts at any given moment. Men also tend to drink less alcohol than women which can decrease the risk for high blood pressure.>>END>>
How to prevent high blood pressure from getting worse.
The first step in preventing high blood pressure from getting worse is knowing your risk. The CDC lists 10 factors that can increase the risk for this condition:
1) Age: High blood pressure becomes more likely as we grow older.
2) Family history: If you have a close family member with high blood pressure, you’re more likely to develop it yourself.
3) Race/ethnicity: African-Americans and people of Filipino descent tend to have higher rates of the condition.
4) Gender: Women are at a greater risk than men.
5) Your job: If your work is strenuous and requires heavy lifting, you could be at an increased risk for developing high blood pressure.
6) Your weight: Being overweight or obese can lead to high blood pressure.
7) Alcohol use: Drinking too much alcohol can put stress on your heart and lead to high blood pressure.
8) Smoking: Smokers, especially those who smoke heavily, are at a higher risk for developing the condition than nonsmokers.
9) Diabetes: Having diabetes can lead to high blood pressure if it’s not under control or if the person also has uncontrolled hypertension (high cholesterol, obesity).
10) Lack of sleep: Not getting enough sleep can cause stress on your body and increase your risk of developing high blood pressure over time.>>END>>
Conclusion
High blood pressure is a condition that is caused by the force of the blood against the artery walls. It can result in serious health problems, so it’s important to know the risk factors for high blood pressure, as well as how to prevent it from getting worse.
Some of the most common risk factors include:
- -Aging
- -Obesity
- -Family history of high blood pressure
- -Vitamin D deficiency
- -High salt intake
- -Smoking
- -Drinking alcohol
- -Lack of exercise
- -Sedentary lifestyle
If you are concerned that you may be at risk for high blood pressure, talk to your doctor about it. They will be able to help you figure out if high blood pressure is what you are dealing with, and what steps you need to take next.