Some of the risk factors Underrstanding Understanding hypertension risks blood hypertensiob cannot be controlled, such as GI meal ideas age hgpertension family Undersranding. When Unerstanding blood pressure Dental pain relief high for too long, it Dental pain relief your blood vessels — ris,s LDL bad cholesterol begins to accumulate along tears in your artery walls. If your blood pressure is elevated, your doctor may request you have more readings over the course of a few days or weeks. Your lifestyle choices can increase your risk for high blood pressure. These tests can help your doctor identify any secondary issues causing your elevated blood pressure. Blood Pressure Readings Explained. Complications for the baby include low birth weight, early birth, and stillbirth.

Understanding hypertension risks -

Other risk factors, such as age, family history and genetics, race and ethnicity, and sex, cannot be changed. A healthy lifestyle can lower your risk for developing high blood pressure.

Blood pressure tends to increase with age. Our blood vessels naturally thicken and stiffen over time. These changes increase the risk for high blood pressure. However, the risk of high blood pressure is increasing for children and teens, possibly because more children and teens are living with overweight or obesity.

High blood pressure often runs in families. Much of what we know about high blood pressure has come from genetic studies. Many different genes are linked to a small increase in the risk high blood pressure. Research suggests that some DNA changes as an unborn baby grows in the womb may lead to high blood pressure later in life.

Some people have a high sensitivity to salt in their diet, which can play a role in high blood pressure. This can also run in families. Some prescription and over-the-counter medicines can make it more difficult for your body to control your blood pressure. Antidepressants, decongestants medicines to relieve a stuffy nose , hormonal birth control pills, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs such as aspirin or ibuprofen can all raise your blood pressure.

Other medical conditions change the way your body controls fluids, sodium, and hormone in your blood. Other conditions that can cause high blood pressure include:. High blood pressure is more common in African American and Hispanic adults than in white or Asian adults.

Compared with other racial or ethnic groups, African Americans tend to have higher average blood pressure numbers and get high blood pressure earlier in life. Experiencing discrimination has been tied to high blood pressure.

In addition, some high blood pressure medicines may not work as well in African Americans. During pregnancy , African American women are more likely than white women to develop preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy disorder that causes sudden high blood pressure and problems with the kidneys and liver. Men are more likely than women to develop high blood pressure throughout middle age. But in older adults, women are more likely than men to develop high blood pressure.

Women who have high blood pressure during pregnancy are more likely to have high blood pressure later in life. Research now shows that factors such as income, your education, where you live, and the type of job you have may contribute to your risk of high blood pressure.

Working early or late shifts is one example of a social factor that can raise your risk. Additionally, some research has shown that experiencing danger, harm, or trauma as a child has links to a higher risk of developing high blood pressure.

A heart-healthy lifestyle can help prevent high blood pressure from developing. To live a healthy lifestyle:. High Blood Pressure. High blood pressure threatens your health and quality of life In most cases, damage done from high blood pressure HBP or hypertension occurs over time.

Left undetected or uncontrolled, high blood pressure can lead to: Heart attack — High blood pressure damages arteries that can become blocked and prevent blood flow to the heart muscle. Stroke — High blood pressure can cause blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the brain to become blocked or burst.

Heart failure — The increased workload from high blood pressure can cause the heart to enlarge and fail to supply blood to the body. Kidney disease or failure — High blood pressure can damage the arteries around the kidneys and interfere with their ability to filter blood effectively.

Vision loss — High blood pressure can strain or damage blood vessels in the eyes. Sexual dysfunction — High blood pressure can lead to erectile dysfunction in men and may contribute to lower libido in women.

Angina — Over time, high blood pressure can lead to heart disease including microvascular disease MVD. Angina, or chest pain, is a common symptom. Peripheral artery disease PAD — Atherosclerosis caused by high blood pressure can lead to narrowed arteries in the legs, arms, stomach and head, causing pain or fatigue.

Download the consequences of HBP infographic: English PDF Spanish PDF Traditional Chinese PDF Can hypertension cause other problems? Your best protection is knowledge, management and prevention Know your numbers.

The best way to know if you have high blood pressure is to have your blood pressure checked. Understand the symptoms and risks. Learn what factors could make you more likely to develop high blood pressure and put you at risk for serious medical problems.

Make changes that matter. Take steps to reduce your risk and manage your blood pressure. Make heart-healthy lifestyle changes, take your medication as prescribed and work in partnership with your health care professionals. High blood pressure and metabolic syndrome insulin resistance syndrome Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors, including high blood pressure, that raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and other health problems.

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Some risos conditions rsiks raise hyoertension risk for Safe natural weight loss blood pressure, Undrrstanding you can take steps Dental pain relief lower your risk by Understanding hypertension risks the Fruit detox diets you can control. Understanding hypertension risks factors Undersganding can increase Dental pain relief risk of high blood pressure include Understandung conditions, your lifestyle, and your family history. Some of the risk factors for high blood pressure cannot be controlled, such as your age or family history. But you can take steps to lower your risk by changing the factors you can control. Some medical conditions can raise your risk for high blood pressure. If you have one of these conditions, you can take steps to manage it and lower your risk for high blood pressure. Elevated blood pressure is blood pressure that is slightly higher than normal.

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Hypertension - An Introduction to High Blood Pressure