A family history of hypertension is cited as one of the main causes of high blood pressure for e.g. inheriting abnormalities of the sympathetic nervous system can lead to hypertension. Besides the genetic causes, obesity disorders, lack of regular exercise and an unbalanced diet are the other major causes. Obese people are at 5 time’s higher risk of this disorder and aging too is a contributing factor. With ascending age, blood vessels become begin to lose their elasticity and become stiff, leading to hypertension. Smoking and drinking are some of the common causes of hypertension. Smoking injures the walls of blood vessels and eventually leads to hardening of the arteries. People, who frequently indulge in drinking, are also at a higher risk of developing this disease.
An excessive intake of sodium is known to cause HBP. The release of salts into the bloodstream causes the blood vessels to release water in order to balance the salt gradient. In this process, the pressure on the walls of the blood vessels increases, leading to BP. Diabetes is closely related to hypertension. Insulin is a hormone that regulates glucose levels. Insulin resistance is known to increase arterial BP in some patients. Patients of Type 2 diabetes are seen having higher levels of insulin, which their body is unable to utilize, resulting in a condition known as insulin resistance.
It is associated with certain kidney diseases. Diseases that affect the renal arteries can lead to hypertension. People suffering from the Cushing’s syndrome have HBP. Cushing’s syndrome is an endocrine disorder that results from high levels of cortisol in the blood. Cortisol increases blood pressure, and thus an increase in cortisol levels can lead to hypertension. Some women develop high BP during pregnancy. About 25% of the women develop hypertension during their first pregnancy. The cause for BP during pregnancy is not clearly known.
