What Contributes to High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure, or hypertension, compels your heart to work more than it should and can lead to serious health complications, including heart disease, stroke and kidney disease. Blood pressure generally gets elevated when your arteries are constricted (high peripheral vascular resistance) or when your blood volume has increased. While the cause of high blood pressure may be difficult to specify in a patient, its contributing factors have been well-documented.

Salt

• Having more table salt (sodium chloride) in you food than what your body needs can contribute to high blood pressure. Intake of high amounts of sodium can lead to water retention in the body, which increases the blood volume. Also, be aware of sodium in processed foods in forms such as monosodium glutamate and baking powder.

Cholesterol

• Through the formation of plaque, LDL cholesterol can narrow down your arteries and make them inflexible. This is why it is beneficial to reduce saturated fatty acids in your diet. While low-fiber diets increase the risk of hypertension, whole grains, fruits and vegetables can protect you from the disorder.

Obesity

• Researchers are still working on the mechanisms through which obesity induces hypertension. According to one theory, obesity can overactivate the sympathetic nervous system to cause reabsorption of sodium from the kidneys and constrict your blood vessels. Obesity can increase the risk of diabetes and bad cholesterol. Physical inactivity, often correlated with obesity, is also associated with hypertension.

Caffeine

• A study by Dr. Lovallo's group, published in Hypertension in July 2000, supports that caffeine, which is present in coffee and tea, can elevate blood pressure, especially in individuals who are at an increased risk of hypertension.

Disease

• When kidneys become less efficient in excreting sodium and water, hypertension may result. And to make things worse, hypertension, when untreated, can further injure your kidneys. Kidney disease can also increase the levels of LDL cholesterol in your blood. Diabetes too can contribute to renal hypertension.

Genetics

• Certain populations, including African-Americans, have higher chances of being affected by hypertension. Also, if you family members have suffered from hypertension or heart disease, you may need to be more watchful about your blood pressure.