What Causes High Blood Pressure? – Forbes Health

“We all face the same risks when it comes to high blood pressure,” says Ashul Govil, MD, cardiologist and chief medical officer at Story Health in San Francisco. The exact cause of high blood pressure varies by age, race, and gender. However, according to Dr. Govil, common factors that can contribute to high blood pressure include:

• Genetics and family history
• eat a high sodium diet
• lack of physical activity
• obesity
• poor sleep or sleep apnea
• tobacco use or smoking
• alcohol consumption

What Causes Hypertension in Older People?

High blood pressure is common with aging, says Allen Jeremias, M.D., director of interventional heart research at St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center in New York. With age, blood vessels become less elastic and blood pressure increases, explains Dr. Jeremias. “This process can be accelerated by excess salt and alcohol. [consumption], as well as lack of regular physical activity. ”

Older people also tend to experience higher levels of inflammation, also associated with hypertension, but its exact role remains unclear.

What causes high blood pressure in young adults?

About 1 in 8 people between the ages of 20 and 40 have high blood pressure, according to a study in the journal. high blood pressureFor the majority of young adults, genetic predisposition and unhealthy lifestyle factors cause high blood pressure, says Dr. Jeremias.

Rarely, underlying medical causes, such as the following, may contribute to the development of high blood pressure in young adults:

• thyroid disease
• renal artery occlusion
• kidney failure
• fibromuscular dysplasia
• Cushing’s syndrome
• adrenal gland tumor

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What causes high blood pressure in men?

According to the National Institute on Aging, on average, men are more likely than women to have high blood pressure before age 55, but it’s unclear why.

“There are not many unique causes of hypertension in men, as the first studies to discover traditional causes of hypertension were primarily done in middle-aged men,” Dr. Govil explains. However, certain risk factors may be more common in men than in women. For example, global data suggest that obesity among men may be more common in some countries, including the United States. Journal of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome.

What causes high blood pressure in women?

After age 65, women have a higher risk of developing high blood pressure than men. The changes appear to be consistent with menopause, which occurs at an average age of 51 years, but the association is poorly understood.

According to Professor Wanpen Vongpatanasin of the UT Southwestern Department of Internal Medicine, menopause can increase women’s sensitivity to sodium in their diet. There is a possibility

For premenopausal women, both pregnancy and oral contraception can increase the risk of high blood pressure, says Dr. Govil.

What Causes High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy?

High blood pressure affects 1 in 12 to 17 pregnancies between the ages of 20 and 44, the CDC reports. Left unchecked, it can lead to complications such as pre-eclampsia, endangering both the pregnant woman and her baby.

High blood pressure during pregnancy is common if you have a history of high blood pressure, experienced high blood pressure in a previous pregnancy, or are currently pregnant with multiple babies.

According to Dr. Govil, other factors that can contribute to high blood pressure during pregnancy include:

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