Risks for High Blood Pressure
You might be at risk for hypertension without even knowing it. Even if your blood pressure is normal it is still important for you to know if you are at risk. High blood pressure can creep upon you like a thief in the night because there is no symptom. As you blood pressure increases gradually you won’t feel any different until its in the critical range forcing you to seek immediate attention.
High blood pressure has caused deadly strokes, heart attacks and kidney failure. Its not quite clear what causes high blood pressure but the natural aging process causes our arteries to stiffen, therefore by the time we are in our 60s most of us will have high blood pressure. However, this does not have to be the case if you know your risk factors and start taking immediate measure to reduce the possibility of being a victim of high blood pressure.
In the medical community doctors use “risk factors” to determine the chances of you developing a condition. This is why they weigh you and ask you about your family history and habits such as drinking, smoking and exercise. They use this information to make an educated guess based on research about potential problem that might occur in the future. This way, they can determine the appropriate treatment protocol and you can make the necessary life style modification.
Hypertension can be classified as either primary of secondary. The majority of people with high blood pressure have primary high blood pressure. Primary high blood pressure is associated our genes and lifestyle. Secondary hypertension is associated with a medical condition. If you are can modify your lifestyle by abstaining from the culprit agents you blood pressure can be normal. Likewise if your medical condition is manage properly then your blood pressure can be normal and you might not need medications.
Your kidney plays a major role in managing your blood pressure because it regulates water and sodium. When it is not working properly your blood pressure will be affected. High blood pressure can be one of the first sign of kidney disease. Conversely it can also cause damage to the kidneys. Therefore your physician will probably check your blood, urine and structure of your kidney to assess damage or disease. Unfortunately, in the late stages of kidney failure, they will stop working and you will need dialysis until you get a kidney transplant.
If you do not have any of the primary risk factors for high blood pressure, you are younger than 30 or older than 55, you present with extremely elevated high blood pressure, blood pressure medication is no longer working or just does not work at all then your doctor might suspect you have secondary high blood pressure.
Primary Hypertension
- Excess sodium
- Inadequate potassium
- Physical inactivity
- Stress
- Low levels of Vitamin D
- African American
- Smoking
- Alcohol
Secondary Hypertension
- Polycystic kidney disease – cysts present on kidney preventing it to work
- Sleep Apnea– absence of breathing while asleep causes decrease oxygen in the blood which in turns damages the blood vessel
- Glomerular Disease– the kidneys are unable to filter water and waste properly
- Renovascular High Blood Pressure– the artery leading to kidneys are damage and the function of the kidney is impaired
- Cushing Disease– too much cortisol is produce by a tumor on the adrenal glands or side effect of long term use of corticosteroids that are use to treat some conditions
- Aldosteronism– too much aldosterone that interferes with sodium, potassium and water excretion by the kidneys
- Pheochromocytoma-a tumor that releases hormones that can cause high blood pressure
- Thyroid Disease– high or low thyroid function causes abnormal thyroid hormone secretion. Both condition can cause high blood pressure
- Diabetes-blood vessels in the kidneys are damage and blood flow is impaired result kidney function
- Hyperparathyroidism-an increase in calcium secretion by the parathyroid gland result in calcium interacting with the blood vessels making them stiff
- Coarctation of the aorta-a congenital anomaly causes the aorta to become narrow which results in a higher force to push blood around the body
- Obesity-excess weight equals excess blood circulating through the body which place added pressure on the arteries
- Pregnancy-one or more primary risk factor present
- Medications and Supplements
To close, if you ever wonder if you are at risk for high blood pressure then this list should give you a good idea where you stand. Primary high blood pressure can be prevented if you make some adjustment primarily in what you eat. Not only will you see an improvement in your blood pressure you will also loose some weight.