3 Common Causes of High Blood Pressure

Posted by Mark Stephens on April 10th, 2011 filed in High Blood Pressure
by Melissa Hall

While a variety of factors can cause high blood pressure, the important thing is to identify it as soon as possible, as it can lead to serious diseases if left untreated. It’s easy to get your blood pressure checked, and you can even buy kits to check it yourself at home (though the cheaper units are not considered very accurate). Every individual is different and may present with different symptoms, we will discuss some of the most common ones here.

Smoking is one activity that can cause high blood pressure. Smokers are more likely to have high blood pressure, and to develop heart disease than non-smokers. High blood pressure occurs when blood flow through the arteries is blocked, and smoking contributes to this problem. While any smoking is a definite risk factor, it’s also true that the amount you smoke has an impact on your health, and heavy smokers are more likely to have high blood pressure and other health problems. But people who smoke in moderation, or who are frequently around others who smoke, are endangering their health.

If you have certain long term illnesses, they can raise your risk of developing high blood pressure. Especially in the elderly, kidney disease is a common cause of hypertension. Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes can also bring about high blood pressure, as this disease often causes damage to the kidneys. If either kidney disease or diabetes is common in your family, you are at a greater risk for developing them. If you have been diagnosed with either diabetes or any kind of kidney disease, your doctor should be keeping track of your blood pressure and may prescribe medication to manage it.

People whose blood pressure is high often have high cholesterol as well, so you should pay attention to your cholesterol levels. Not all cholesterol is harmful, however, and researchers have identified “good” as well as “bad” varieties. Heart disease and high blood pressure are caused by bad, or LDL cholesterol, which blocks your arteries. The beneficial kind of cholesterol is HDL, and this does the opposite of LDL, and can help lower your blood pressure. By eating healthy foods and getting regular exercise, you can improve your cholesterol levels. Avoiding unhealthy foods, such as hydrogenated oils, processed foods and most fast foods can help you to reduce the bad cholesterol in your diet. Good health involves paying attention to many factors, and your blood pressure and cholesterol are among the most important of these.

High blood pressure can be caused by many factors, depending on your own habits and genetic makeup. High blood pressure is something that can be controlled, as long as you are willing to listen to medical advice and do what’s necessary. Since the causes of high blood pressure, like the ones looked at in this article, are so diverse, it’s important to monitor your blood pressure regularly. No matter what’s causing your high blood pressure, the important thing is to address it and work on lowering it.

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