High Blood Pressure Causes

People may have high blood pressure due to controllable risk factors (such as their weight or physical inactivity) or uncontrollable risk factors (such as their age or ethnic background). Controllable risk factors can usually be managed through lifestyle changes alone. Uncontrollable risk factors may also require medications.

Controllable risk factors

Lifestyle changes can help people gain control of the following high blood pressure risk factors:

• Obesity
  Excess weight strains the heart and contributes to high blood pressure. Losing weight helps lower blood pressure and makes it easier for people to become physically active.
• Physical inactivity
  Increasing physical activity can lower blood pressure by strengthening the heart and cardiovascular system, improving circulation, and helping people burn calories and lose weight.
• Dietary salt
  American diets are high in salt (sodium chloride) and most people can benefit by reducing their dietary salt. Dietary salt is especially dangerous for salt-sensitive people. High dietary salt increases their risk of high blood pressure, heart and cardiovascular disease, and death.
• Dietary potassium
  Potassium neutralizes the effect of sodium on high blood pressure. Increasing dietary potassium appears to protect salt-sensitive people from the effects of dietary sodium.
  
• Smoking
  The nicotine in tobacco narrows blood vessels, which causes a person's blood pressure to rise. Smoking is also a risk factor for heart disease.
  
• Alcohol
  People can lower their blood pressure by limiting their consumption of alcohol. Consuming more than two alcoholic beverages a day for men and one alcoholic beverage a day for women increases blood pressure in some people. It also adds extra calories to a person's daily caloric intake.
• Caffeine
  Although caffeine consumption can cause a brief increase in a person's blood pressure, caffeine use doesn't appear to be risk factor for high blood pressure.
• Stress
  Emotional stress causes a temporary rise in blood pressure and may cause susceptible people to develop high blood pressure.
• Medications
  People with high blood pressure should review the drugs, supplements, and herbs they are taking with their doctor to find out if any are responsible for their high blood pressure. The following medications may raise a person's high blood pressure:
  • Prescription drugs (such as anti-inflammatory drugs, birth control pills, corticosteroids, immunosuppressive drugs, and migraine medications)
  • Over-the-counter drugs (such as analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs, cold medications, decongestants)
  • Herbs (such as ephedra and licorice)
  • Street drugs (such as amphetamines, cocaine, ecstasy

Uncontrollable risk factors

The following uncontrollable risk factors predispose some people to developing high blood pressure:

• Age
  The likelihood of developing high blood pressure increases with age and high blood pressure is more common in older people.
• Ethnic background
  African Americans develop high blood pressure more often than other populations. Moreover, they develop high blood pressure earlier and their high blood pressure is often more severe.
• Family history
  People with parents or other close blood relatives who have high blood pressure are more likely to develop the condition. Although this risk factor may be due to genetics, it also may be due to families having similar unhealthy eating habits and lifestyles.
• Sex
  Males are more likely to develop high blood pressure than females until age 55 when women are at greater risk. Moreover, women who take birth control pills, are pregnant, or postmenopausal are more likely to develop high blood pressure.
  
• Socioeconomic factors
  Poorer, less educated people are more likely to develop high blood pressure. This tendency is believed to be due to obesity, poor diet, and a lack of knowledge about how to prevent high blood pressure. Some people suspect that socioeconomic factors may contribute to the prevalence of high blood pressure among African Americans.

Medical causes of secondary hypertension

The following medical conditions may cause people to develop high blood pressure:

Diabetes

Kidney disease

• Glomerulonephritis
  Glomerulonephritis is the inflammation of kidneys.
• Kidney failure
  Kidney failure is the inability of the kidneys to filter waste and water from the body.
• Renal artery stenosis
  Renal artery stenosis is the narrowing or blockage of an artery that supplies blood to a kidney.
• Renal vein thrombosis
  Renal vein thrombosis is a blood clot in a vein that removes blood from a kidney.
• Wilms' tumor
  Wilms' tumor is a cancerous kidney tumor.

Endocrine hormone disorders

• Cushing's syndrome
  Cushing's syndrome occurs when the adrenal glands produce too much cortisol.
• Aldosteronism
  Aldosteronism occurs when the adrenal glands produce too much of the hormone aldosterone.
• Pheochromocytoma
  Pheochromocytoma occurs when the adrenal glands produce too much of the hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline.
• Hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism
  Hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland produces too little or too much thyroid hormone.
• Hyperparathyroidism
  Hyperparathyroidism occurs when the parathyroid gland produces too much parathyroid hormone.

Coarctation of the aorta

Sleep apnea

Childhood causes of high blood pressure

Some children may develop higher than normal blood pressure due to:

• A heart or kidney disorder
• Certain medications
• Being overweight and not getting enough exercise

The American Heart Association recommends that all children should have their blood pressure measured annually starting at age 3.