Having your blood pressure checked on a regular basis is the only way
to know if you suffer from high blood pressure, also known as
hypertension, which has many causes and risk factors. Health experts
have not found one single cause of high blood pressure but several
factors can contribute to it. The following conditions can lead to high
blood pressure.
One high blood pressure cause that you can control is smoking.
Smokers are more likely to have high blood pressure, and to develop
heart disease than non-smokers. Regular smoking hardens the arteries and
creates dangerous blockages which can cause or worsen high blood
pressure. To some degree, the risk smoking poses for blood pressure is
related to how heavily you smoke, so naturally if you are a heavy smoker
it's especially risky. The fact is, however, that smoking to any degree
at all, and even exposure to second hand smoke, can increase your risk
of hypertension. Fortunately, even if you're a long time smoking, if you
quit you can reverse many health problems, including hypertension.
One problem with high blood pressure is that, in many cases, there is
no known cause. Doctors diagnose most cases of high blood pressure as
essential hypertension, meaning there is not a specific cause that is
known.
While many factors, such as age, diet, smoking and stress can
contribute to it, even experts have not identified a specific cause in
the majority of cases. Getting regular checkups where your blood
pressure is read is the only reliable way to know if you have
hypertension. The important thing is that, no matter what the cause,
high blood pressure can be treated and managed, either by lifestyle
changes alone or with the help of medication.
There are also a variety of medications and drugs that can cause
hypertension. People addicted to street drugs, especially "uppers" or
cocaine, are prone to high blood pressure. Yet you can also have your
blood pressure raised by taking certain prescription drugs, such as
birth control pills and many others. Medications bought at the pharmacy
without a prescription, such as appetite suppressants and even cold
medicines can also raise your blood pressure sometimes. If your blood
pressure is high, make sure you pay attention to any medications you
take, even over the counter ones. Always ask your doctor if any
medication he or she has prescribed may cause high blood pressure. High
blood pressure has been referred to as the silent killer because of the
fact that there are no symptoms and isn't always diagnosed until it is
much worse. By having your doctor check your blood pressure regularly,
and becoming familiar with the causes of hypertension, such as the ones
we've been focusing on in this article, you can be in a better position
to keep your blood pressure at a healthy level.
