8 Factors that Increase Your Risk of Hypertension

Your circulatory system is essential for moving oxygen, hormones, and nutrients all through the body, and helps get rid of waste so your body can expel it. The system of veins, arteries, and blood vessels is operated by your heart, which pumps blood everywhere, and operates at all times to keep you functioning. As blood moves throughout your body, it produces pressure on your artery walls. Your blood pressure is measured by two factors: when your heart beats (systolic) and when it rests (diastolic).

 Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is one of several problems that can affect circulatory and cardiovascular health. There are several risk factors that lead to this illness and many complications that can result from it. In this blog, we’ll look closer at hypertension and outline eight factors that increase your risk of developing it.

If you live in the Houston, Texas, area and you’re dealing with some symptoms of hypertension, Dr. Ranjit S. Grewal and his dedicated staff at Houston Family MD can help.

Understanding hypertension

Your blood pressure is the force of your blood as it pushes against your veins and arteries as it goes through your body. If there is too much pressure, it leads to hypertension, which becomes more dangerous the longer your blood pressure remains in a higher range. We measure systolic (pressure when your heart beats) and diastolic (pressure between heart rests) pressure when determining your numbers, and in a healthy body, it should be within the 130/80 range.

About 116 million people in America struggle with high blood pressure, which can lead to a range of serious conditions like stroke, heart attack, coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, vascular dementia, eye damage, and kidney failure.

Common risk factors

Several issues can increase your chances of developing high blood pressure, including:

• Age: The risk of hypertension increases as you get older, and while it’s more common in men until about 64, women who are over 65 are at higher risk.

• Race: Hypertension is more common and more severe in African-Americans than in most other races.

• Family history: If a brother, sister, mother, or father is dealing with hypertension, there’s a good chance you’ll have it at some point, too.

• Weight: The change in your veins and arteries as you gain weight increases the risk of blood pressure issues.

• Physical inactivity: A sedentary lifestyle increases your heart rate, can lead to weight gain, and lead to hypertension.

• Chronic conditions: Kidney disease, diabetes, and sleep apnea are all conditions that are closely linked to high blood pressure.

• Dietary habits: Too much alcohol, a diet of fatty or sugary foods, or eating foods with too much salt up your risk for hypertension.

• Stress: Stress creates short-term blood pressure issues, but chronic stress raises your risks of hypertension and its related problems.

Prevention and treatment

Treatment will likely depend on whether or not it developed over time (primary hypertension), or is the result of a condition (secondary hypertension). The first can be prevented and managed by lifestyle changes (healthy diet, more exercise, reducing stress), while the second may require a range of medications. 

Blood pressure is something we often don’t think about until something happens, but making basic changes can reduce your risks and keep you healthier for longer. If you have concerns about hypertension, make an appointment with Dr. Grewal and his team at Houston Family MD today to get treated.