High Blood Pressure Is Bad. What Causes It?

High blood pressure, also called

hypertension, is dangerous because it

makes the heart work harder to pump

blood out to the body and contributes to

hardening of the arteries, or

atherosclerosis , to stroke , kidney disease,

and to the development of heart failure …..

The following factors can raise blood

pressure and account for most cases of

essential hypertension

× A low-potassium diet

Potassium is a mineral like sodium; however,

too little potassium (rather than too much) in

your diet can increase blood pressure.

Potassium also blunts the effects of dietary

sodium on blood pressure. Fruits, vegetables,

dairy products, and beans are rich in

potassium.

× high-sodium (high-salt) diet

Everyone needs a tiny amount of salt to

survive, but most people’s salt consumption

greatly exceeds their needs. The terms “salt”

and “sodium” are often used interchangeably

because 90 percent of the sodium we

consume is in the form of salt (which is 40

percent sodium and 60 percent chloride).

Diets high in salt can raise blood pressure in

at least two ways. First, sodium can cause

the body to retain water, increasing the

volume of blood in the arteries. Second,

sodium causes small arteries to constrict,

which produces greater resistance to blood

flow.

× Physical inactivity

If you spend more time on the couch than on

your feet, you may be at risk for

hypertension. A lack of exercise increases

activity of the sympathetic nervous system,

which can constrict blood vessels and

increase blood pressure. A sedentary lifestyle

also reduces the elasticity of arteries and

decreases the release of hormones like nitric

oxide that cause arteries to dilate. Inactivity

puts you at risk for obesity.

× Other dietary factors

Diets low in fruits, vegetables, and dairy

products and high in saturated fat and

cholesterol tend to raise blood pressure

levels. In contrast, the Dietary Approaches to

Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, which

emphasizes fruits, vegetables and low-fat

dairy, lowers blood pressure. Vegetarian and

Mediterranean-style diets also are helpful in

the fight against high blood pressure.

× Genetics and race

Hypertension runs in families, and genetics

plays a role. In fact, researchers have

identified a number of genetic variants that

can increase the risk of high blood pressure.

The more of these variants you have, the

greater your chances of developing

hypertension.

When it comes to race, blacks are at greater

risk than whites for hypertension. In addition,

blacks tend to develop hypertension earlier in

life and to have a more severe form.

Research suggests that both genes and

environment are likely responsible for the

higher prevalence and greater severity of

hypertension in blacks.

× Overweight and obesity

People who are overweight or obese are more

likely to have hypertension than people who

are normal weight. One reason is that the

more weight you carry, the more blood is

needed to carry oxygen and nutrients to your

organs and tissues. As blood volume

increases, so does pressure against artery

walls, thus raising blood pressure.