Hypertension is a medical term that refers to high blood pressure. For most people, the actual cause of their hypertension is not known. This is what is called as primary or essential hypertension. On the other hand, for some people, their high blood pressure is a result of another medical condition or medication and in these cases the condition is referred to as secondary hypertension.
Although the causes of primary hypertension are unknown, yet it is likely to be a complex combination of genetic, environmental, and other factors. As such, certain unalterable conditions can put one at a greater risk for developing hypertension. If one of the following categories are true for a certain individual then precautions should be taken so as to avoid compounding the risk of having hypertension by making necessary lifestyle changes.
Heredity
Those with a history of hypertension in their family are twice as likely to develop it as others. A lot of children with hypertensive parents already showed a slightly elevated blood pressure even as infants.
Race
It was found that hypertension is more common and generally more severe among blacks than among whites for reasons still not completely understood though.
Pregnancy
Though hypertension is not related to a person's sex, however, during pregnancy, some women - even those who have never had high blood pressure in the past – tend to develop it.
Sleep apnea
This is a common, yet not fully recognized cause of hypertension.
Age
As time goes, the number of collagen fibers present in the artery and arteriole walls increases; this makes the blood vessels stiffer. With the elasticity reduced also comes a smaller cross-sectional area in systole, and so as a raise in arterial blood pressure.
Also, factors that contribute to secondary hypertension include, kidney abnormality, a structural abnormality of the aorta (the large blood vessel leaving the heart) existing since birth, narrowing of certain arteries
These problems can usually be corrected though. For example, doctors can repair an artery that has narrowed. Most of these problems can also be ruled out by a careful history, a physical examination and a few tests undergone.
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