What Causes Blood Pressure Elevation?

When you experience a spike in your blood pressure, you may be suffering from a condition known as hypertension. But hypertension itself isn't necessarily a condition all on its own. Sometimes, it can be a symptom of another disorder. This fact helps to establish the very basic forms of high blood pressure, separating into primary and secondary. The most common form of high blood pressure is primary, and it usually develops gradually in relation to your lifestyle. With secondary hypertension, you'll experience a rather abrupt rise in your blood pressure as a result of something else. Regardless of what is causing your blood pressure elevation, a number of factors can play a role in its development.

Age

• Of all the factors that play into blood pressure elevation, age is one of the more common. As you get older, there is simply an ever-increasing risk of its development. This is partly due to the health of your arteries, but also the toll your lifestyle may be taking on these particular blood vessels. They may begin to harden and narrow over time.

Diet

• Diet can also play a crucial role in blood pressure elevation. If your eating habits involve a great deal of saturated fats, cholesterol and sodium, you're increasing your risk of high blood pressure. However, it's not solely about what you eat; it's also about what you fail to eat. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies, namely vitamin D and potassium, can negatively affect your blood pressure. Diets rich in nutrients, such as diets with fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats, can often benefit your overall health, including your blood pressure.

Exercise

• A lack of exercise can help to cause an elevation in blood pressure. The less activity you take part in, the higher the rate of your heartbeats. As your heart is forced to work at a greater level, the more apt you are to develop high blood pressure. By exercising each day, you're ultimately working the heart and allowing it to beat at a slower rate during times of rest.

Weight

• Going hand-in-hand with diet and exercise, your weight can often cause an increased risk of blood pressure elevation. This is largely to the increased volume of blood it takes to serve a wider bodily area. With this increase in blood volume, your arterial walls are sustaining more pressure, elevating your overall blood pressure.

Stress

• Another potential cause of blood pressure elevation is stress. When you experience an extreme emotion, your body goes into "fight or flight," releasing hormones that elevate your blood pressure. Though this is a momentary state, stressful situations can drastically raise your blood pressure.

Pregnancy

• It is also possible to experience an increase in blood pressure due to a pregnancy. More commonly known as preeclampsia, this can be a dangerous form of hypertension, since the only method of effectively decreasing your blood pressure is through delivery.

Hormones

• Hormones can also cause problems with blood pressure. This may be a disorder of a hormone gland or even the formation of a tumor within a gland, but it often changes the balance of your hormone levels, sometimes causing an increase in blood pressure.