If you have high blood pressure, it’s important to know what causes it. In this article we’ll discuss some of the causes of high blood pressure and how you can reduce your risk of having it.
Causes of High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is caused by an imbalance between the forces that act on your blood vessels. These forces include the force of your heart pumping blood, the resistance of your arteries to the flow of blood, and the elasticity of your arteries. When these forces are out of balance, your blood pressure will be higher than normal.
There are several things that can contribute to the imbalance between these forces, including obesity, lack of exercise, smoking, stress, alcohol, salt, and certain medications.
Obesity
Obesity is one of the biggest contributors to high blood pressure. It puts more strain on your heart and makes your arteries stiffer, both of which increase your blood pressure. The extra weight also puts added pressure on your veins, which increases the amount of fluid in your body and increases your chances of developing edema (fluid retention).
Lack of Exercise
Not getting enough exercise can also increase your blood pressure. When you don’t get enough physical activity, your heart has to work harder to pump blood through your arteries, increasing your heart rate and blood pressure. You also put more strain on your veins as they carry blood back to your heart.
Smoking
Smoking is a well known cause of high blood pressure. Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen that gets to your lungs, which leads to constriction of the arteries and increased blood pressure. Smoking also contributes to atherosclerosis, which makes your arteries stiffer.
Alcohol
Drinking alcohol can raise your blood pressure if you drink too much or if you drink too fast. Alcohol can also dehydrate you, making you feel tired and sluggish.
Salt
Excessive amounts of salt in your diet can also increase your blood pressure, particularly if you’re already overweight. Salt causes your kidneys to retain water, so you’ll urinate more often. This will make you feel thirsty and increase your need for salt, causing you to eat more.
Medications
Many medications can cause high blood pressure. For example, diuretics can cause your body to retain water, leading to dehydration and increased blood volume. Beta blockers can also cause your heart to beat faster and harder, which puts additional strain on your heart and arteries.
How to Reduce Your Risk
Reducing your risk of high blood pressure depends on reducing your risk factors. If you have any of these risk factors, you should try to eliminate them from your life as much as possible.
If you’re obese, losing weight is essential. It’s not just a matter of losing weight to improve your health; it’s also a matter of losing weight to reduce your blood pressure.
If you smoke, quitting is the best way to reduce your risk of high blood pressure. Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, which means it narrows your blood vessels. Quitting also reduces the strain on your heart and arteries that smoking places on them.
If you drink alcohol, cut back gradually. Don’t start drinking heavily again after you’ve quit. Alcohol is a diuretic, so it makes you dehydrated and causes you to urinate more frequently. If you drink alcohol regularly, you may need to take a diuretic with your meals.
If you’re on a medication that raises your blood pressure, talk to your doctor about changing your medication. Many medications can cause high blood pressure, but there are others that can help control it.