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Hypertension: What Causes It?

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is known in the health care field as the "silent killer". It usually exhibits no symptoms until it has already done substantial damage to a patient's body. Most people only find out about their hypertension when they go in for a routine physical, but most people also tend to skip their routine physicals. Do not take this disease lightly, or delay treatment, just because there are no symptoms. A great majority of the people who experience heart attacks or develop congestive heart failure start out with hypertension. High blood pressure is the number one causative factor in heart disease and one out of every 3 people has high blood pressure

Standard preliminary procedures will include a blood pressure check with every physical. This is usually done prior to even seeing the doctor and often before being taken to an examination room. Be alert to a common syndrome in which a patient's blood pressure increases significantly due to nervousness about visiting the doctor. This is often referred to as White Coat Syndrome. I react that way personally, and it has often lead to attempts to send m to the emergency room. The solution was to buy a home blood pressure monitoring unit to check blood pressure every day. These units are cheap and actually very accurate. Do not stop doctor visits just because you are following your blood pressure at home.

Even though high blood pressure is the major cause of strokes and heart disease, 90% or more of hypertension cases have unknown or uncertain causes. There is no easy answer to what causes hypertension and no easy solution to the problem. This disease is best approached in a holistic fashion.

In a normal person blood pressure is kept within strict limits naturally. Low blood pressure results in arteries constricting to increase resistance and raise the blood pressure. When blood pressure goes too high, the body relaxes the arteries and veins to lower the pressure. People suffering from long term hypertension do not experience this normal pressure regulation and the disease must be treated with drugs, diet and major lifestyle changes.

Some of the factors which are thought to cause high blood pressure include the following:

* Too much alcohol

* Tobacco smoking

* Excess weight

* Too much sodium intake

* Excessive levels of stress

* Excessive Caffeine

* Genetic factors

Clearly, most of the above factors are well within the patient's control. Therefore, controlling blood pressure naturally can help a great deal. Increasing fruit and vegetable intake while lowering dietary fat and cutting out a few bad habits will usually substantially lower blood pressure. If you are too fat, dropping a few pounds will make an amazing difference in blood pressure. Walking for 30 minutes a few times a week will lower blood pressure through weight loss and stress relief. Switching to the clinically proven DASH diet will help as well. Of course, with any medical condition, you need to consult with your doctor before you begin any exercise program or drastic dietary changes.