Reasons For High Blood Pressure

Doctors haven't found an exact cause for high blood pressure; however, several factors seem to contribute to it and may put a person at higher risk for developing the condition. Essential hypertension is the most common type of high blood pressure. Secondary hypertension only accounts for 5 percent of high blood pressure cases and is caused by another problem in the body. Some factors that increase your chances of having high blood pressure cannot be changed, such as race and genetics. However, making healthy lifestyle decisions like limiting salt intake, not smoking and exercising regularly can reduce your chances for developing high blood pressure.

Salt

• Salt intake seems to be an important contributing factor to high blood pressure. Cultures that do not have a high salt intake experience many fewer problems with high blood pressure. The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies recommends that 19- to 50-year-old adults consume no more than 3.8 grams of salt per day. This is just enough to replace the average amount that is excreted from your body through sweat during the day.

Genetics

• No specific gene has been identified with high blood pressure. However, high blood pressure does seem to run in families. Researchers are looking at the genetics that affect the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, which controls salt balance. Certain hereditary factors leave people predisposed to suffering from high blood pressure. African Americans are at higher risk than Asians and Caucasians. Also, those with parents who suffered from high blood pressure have a greater chance of suffering from it themselves.

Stiff Arteries

• Most people who have high blood pressure also have arteries that are stiffer than those of a healthy person. These arteries are responsible for transporting oxygen to different parts of the body. Arterial stiffness is often seen in people with genetic predispositions for high blood pressure, people who consume a lot of salt and those who do not exercise regularly.

Kidney Disease

• In contrast to essential hypertension, secondary hypertension can be caused by other problems in the body. A common cause of secondary hypertension is kidney disease. This is called renal hypertension. The arteries that feed blood to the kidneys become hardened, either by a thickening muscular wall or by fatty plaque buildup.

Adrenal Tumors

• This rare type of tumor is located on top of the kidneys and can produce excess adrenal secretions. This secretion can cause high blood pressure. If high blood pressure is caused by adrenal tumors, they can be diagnosed through blood and urine tests. If that is the case, they are usually treated with surgery, and the hypertension can be reversed.

Aorta Abnormalities

• High blood pressure can occur in young children but is extremely rare, and is usually due to a problem with the aorta, the main artery attached to the heart. A section of the aorta is abnormally narrow and reduces the amount of blood flow to the kidneys, and the blood pressure goes up. This problem usually requires surgery.

Obesity

• Obesity can be a contributing factor to high blood pressure, which is caused by elevated levels of blood sugar and fats. According to the American Obesity Association, being obese greatly increases the chance of having high blood pressure.