Normal blood pressure has a reading below 120/80. Blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89 is referred to as "pre-hypertension". High blood pressure has a reading of 140/90 or above.
Fortunately some of the contributing factors to high blood pressure are known.
Arteriosclerosis is the hardening of plaque along the walls of the arteries is one contributing factor. Another is the thickening of the artery wall and yet another contributing factor for high blood pressure is small arteries.
The other causes are not a single underlying problem but a combination of various factors that have been concluded to be the causes of high blood pressure include:
* Excess alcohol - Alcohol also plays a direct part in your blood pressure. It has been found in several studies, that the higher the alcohol consumption, the higher the blood pressure. However similar studies have also shown that moderate drinkers appear to have a lower blood pressure than non drinkers.
Moderation is the key.
* Excess salt - There is little doubt that salt intake has a direct effect on blood pressure. Both this and the ingestion of dietary potassium have been found to have adverse effects on a person's health.
High salt intake is considered to be anything more than 5.8 grams per day.
* Diet and Being Overweight - Obesity is another major problem. Overweight people are more liable to have a higher blood pressure than their slim counterpart. The heart and other vital organs have to work harder which leads to added strain.
* Stress - At work or home.
The two most important and affecting factors are high salt intake and genetic tendencies. The first is easily controlled, for the second, diligent monitoring is key.
The only true way of ascertaining whether you have high blood pressure or not is by having it checked by a doctor or even self monitored at home. This is a an easy procedure and every adult should have their blood pressure taken at least on an annual basis if not more often.
Secondary Hypertension
There are a few cases of high blood pressure in which the underlying problem from which it stems is known. This type of high blood pressure is known as 'secondary hypertension'.
Secondary hypertension is said to be caused by kidney abnormality, a tumor or tumors in the adrenal gland, or a congenital defect of the aorta. Treating the underlying cause will usually return the blood pressure back to normal.
Unfortunately of all high blood pressure patients only five percent of people with high blood pressure have 'secondary hypertension'
Adopting healthy lifestyle habits is an essential and effective in both preventing and controlling high blood pressure. Lifestyle changes alone, however, may not be enough it may be necessary to take blood pressure medications.
Secondary high blood pressure is the less common form of high blood pressure with only 5% of reported cases suffering from this type which is caused by a disorder of specific organ of the body such as the kidney, adrenal gland or aortic artery.
Diseases of the kidney can be a cause of secondary high blood pressure. This is called renal hypertension because it is caused by problems with the kidneys. One of the more important and common causes of renal hypertension is the narrowing of the artery that supplies blood to the kidneys. In younger people the narrowing is caused mostly by a thickening of the wall of the arteries leading to the kidneys. In older people mostly, it is caused by a build up fat plaques that block the renal artery.
The reason that the narrowing of the artery causes hypertension is because, first, the narrowing restricts the flow of blood to the kidneys. The reduced blood supply then causes the kidney to produce the hormones, renin and angiotensin. These hormones, along with aldosterone from the adrenal gland, cause a constriction and increased stiffness in the peripheral arteries throughout the whole body, which finally results in high blood pressure.
A doctor will usual suspect renal hypertension when high blood pressure is discovered in a young person or if a new onset of high blood pressure is detected in an older person.
Another cause of secondary high blood pressure is adrenal gland tumors. There are two types of tumors and both are very rare but do occur. Both of these tumors cause the adrenal glands to produce excessive hormones which is the cause of the high blood pressure.
Another cause of secondary high blood pressure, which is usually inherited, is Coarctation of the aorta. This is a common cause of hypertension among young children. The condition is causes by a narrowing segment of the aorta, which is the main large artery that comes out of the heart. The aorta is responsible for delivering blood to all the organs of the body. The narrowing segment is usually above the renal arteries. This narrowing reduces blood flow to the kidneys.
Other genetic factors make up what is called the "metabolic syndrome". People that have metabolic syndrome have insulin resistance and a tendency to have type 2 diabetes. This is another contributing factor to secondary high blood pressure.
Then there is the problem with obesity. People who are obese have elevated levels of blood fat, vascular inflammation, endothelial dysfunction and ultimately high blood pressure. The epidemic of obesity, especially in the United States, is one of the main causes of high blood pressure today.
Now that we basically know the main causes of high blood pressure, in future articles we're going to discuss how to treat this disease and keep it under control.
Both Mike Herman & Michael Russell are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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