Most Common Causes of High Blood Pressure

In most of the cases we do not know the cause for high blood pressure and these cases are referred to as cases of Essential Hypertension. In the event of severe kidney and eye complications with a rapidly fatal course, the condition is described as Malignant Hypertension. Fortunately such cases constitute a small minority and most of the hypertension cases being benign in character and the individual will have a fairly long life of normal activity.

In most of the cases of the high blood pressure the individual is free of all symptoms, being completely unaware of the existence of this entity until hypertension is accidentally discovered by the physician during routine examination or during medical checkup.

1. Nervous factor: Hypertensive personality people are known to be active, ambitious, aggressive and enthusiastic and short tempered. They will be tense and anxious and these people worry over their problems for a long time without making quick decisions. Prolonged mental and emotional fatigue will be there. Common causes of stress are overwork, an unhappy home, marital disharmony and financial worries.

2. Obesity: Is usually due to over eating. For every 10 kilogram increase above the normal body weight, blood pressure increases by 3mm in systolic and 3mm in diastolic. Alcoholic drinks do not themselves raise the blood pressure, but they may contribute to obesity because of calories they provide.

3. Smoking: Chain smokers have more chances for high blood pressure. Nicotine of cigarette causes release of adrenaline and nor adrenaline from adrenal glands and these hormones raise the blood pressure. It is said that one cigarette raises the blood pressure by about 10mm of Hg. When coffee is taken while smoking, blood pressure rises by about 20mm of Hg.

It is also said that one cigarette smoked makes a man to lose one minute is his life. There is no difference in the use of different types such as cigar, cigarette, pipe etc. and the end result is the same. Smoking leads to increases atherosclerosis especially in the coronary arteries and if a person is a smoker and hypertensive, then there are two powerful risk factors present for coronary thrombosis.

4. Kidneys: Kidneys secrete a natural hormone Rennin, which increases the production of another hormone Angiotensin, which is a powerful stimulator of circular muscles in the arterial wall and this constriction increases the blood pressure. When kidney is starved of blood, rennin production is increased. This seen in atheroma. Progressive damage of the kidney by disease increases the blood pressure. Inherent defects of kidney at birth and kidney tumor can also increase the blood pressure.

5. Disturbances of hormone: Common in Diabetics Myxedema (Hypothyroidism) and in certain pituitary disorders of brain and tumors of adrenal glands. Common in women at menopause and in women who are taking oral contraceptives. Blood pressure may increase during pregnancy and this condition is known as Toxemia of pregnancy. After delivery the blood pressure will come down to normal and may rise during next pregnancy.

6. Salt intake: It is still uncertain whether excessive intake of salt plays and part in the genesis of essential hypertension. Perhaps certain races are more susceptible. Epidemiologic studies have shown that there is an increased incidence of high B.P. in populations with very high salt consumption. On the other hand, the incidence of hypertension is much less in those communities taking little salt. Increased salt intake definitely increases the blood pressure in rats.