what is the main cause of high blood pressure ?
Although heredity plays a role, weight and lifestyle are tremendously important, as well.
Take a look at your lifestyle:
1. Do you get regular (daily!) exercise?
2. Do you minimize sodium and make sure you are getting enough potassium in your diet (eating fresh fruits helps).
3. Is your BMI > 25?
4. Could you possibly have sleep apnea?
5. Do you smoke? Have more than one drink of alcohol per day?
If at all possible, address these issues before you consider taking BP meds. The meds may get your BP down, but they have their side effects, and you don't really want to be on them for the rest of your life, do you?
It's great that you are asking the question here. For more detailed info, I recommend the Yahoo! bloodpressureline group. It is run by a doctor who specializes in treating hypertension.
6 comments ↓
kids
References :
Heredity and stress
References :
In 90 to 95 percent of high blood pressure cases, the cause is unknown. In fact, you can have high blood pressure for years without knowing it. That's why it's the “silent killer” — it creeps up on you. When the cause is unknown, you have what's called essential or primary hypertension. Factors that may lead to high blood pressure in the remaining 5–10 percent of cases, which are known as secondary hypertension, include:
Kidney abnormality
A structural abnormality of the aorta (large blood vessel leaving the heart) existing since birth
Narrowing of certain arteries
These problems can usually be corrected. For example, doctors can repair a narrowed artery that supplies blood to a kidney. Most of these problems can be ruled out by a careful history, a physical examination and a few tests. Special tests are sometimes needed, but you don't usually have to stay in the hospital.
Your heart pumps blood through the body's arteries. The large arteries that leave your heart taper into smaller arteries called arterioles. The arterioles then taper into smaller vessels called capillaries, which supply oxygen and nutrients to all the organs of your body. The blood then returns to your heart through the veins.
Certain nerve impulses cause your arteries to dilate (become larger) or contract (become smaller). If these vessels are wide open, blood can flow through easily. If they're narrow, it's harder for the blood to flow through them, and the pressure inside them increases. Then high blood pressure may occur. When this happens, your heart becomes strained and blood vessels may become damaged. Changes in the vessels that supply blood to your kidneys and brain may cause these organs to be affected.
Your heart, brain and kidneys can handle increased pressure for a long time. That's why you can live for years without any symptoms or ill effects. But that doesn't mean it's not hurting you. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke, heart attack, heart failure and kidney failure
References :
Plaque in arteries. then you get the things thatdon't help when you have high BP like stress,eating wrong foods,over weight,too little exercise.
References :
Although heredity plays a role, weight and lifestyle are tremendously important, as well.
Take a look at your lifestyle:
1. Do you get regular (daily!) exercise?
2. Do you minimize sodium and make sure you are getting enough potassium in your diet (eating fresh fruits helps).
3. Is your BMI > 25?
4. Could you possibly have sleep apnea?
5. Do you smoke? Have more than one drink of alcohol per day?
If at all possible, address these issues before you consider taking BP meds. The meds may get your BP down, but they have their side effects, and you don't really want to be on them for the rest of your life, do you?
It's great that you are asking the question here. For more detailed info, I recommend the Yahoo! bloodpressureline group. It is run by a doctor who specializes in treating hypertension.
References :
Yahoo! bloodpressureline group
5 Steps You Can Follow
1. If you are a smoker, stop. Nicotine results in constriction of your arteries and increases your heart rate.
2. If you have to lose some pounds, do it; reducing blood pressure through diet and exercise normally reduces the need for medication.
3. If you love salty snack, cut it down. Salt does not cause high blood pressure in everyone, but lot of people experience trouble with it, so don’t take risk.
4. If you experience very stressful situation in your life, try to eliminate it, or learn stress management; biofeedback, meditation, and other relaxation techniques.
5. If you use alcohol to control stress, restrict its use. Though alcohol does not increase everybody’s blood pressure, but it may increase yours.
http://your-blood-pressure-site.info/
References :