Risk factors for hypertension may vary depending on the type of disease. There are two types: primary, or essential, hypertension and secondary hypertension. The first type occurs much more often than the second - it is diagnosed in 95% of patients with hypertension and its development is associated with three groups of factors: the general condition of the body, lifestyle and heredity. Secondary hypertension affects 5% of patients, and the risk factor for its development lies in various pathologies of specific organs. Certain factors can be controlled, thereby reducing the risk of developing the disease.
Risk factors for primary hypertension
Essential hypertension is a multifactorial disease; In some cases, it is impossible to accurately determine the cause of the increased pressure. The danger of the disease lies in the fact that its symptoms do not appear immediately - the causes can harm health gradually, imperceptibly. In addition, even in a latent state, hypertension increases the risk of developing myocardial infarction and stroke.
Health
One of the reasons for the development of hypertension is the deterioration of the elasticity of arterioles - small arterial vessels that transfer blood to capillaries. The condition of the vascular walls is influenced by several factors:
- aging of the body;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- heredity;
- inflammatory processes in tissues.
Blood composition is also important for vascular health. Weakening of the circulatory system is mainly associated with diabetes mellitus. Blood sugar is regulated by the pancreatic hormone insulin. If its secretion is reduced or if it cannot perform its functions normally, the vessels are more stimulated by the sympathetic nervous system than they dilate under the action of insulin, which leads to an increase in blood pressure. .
In addition to the condition of blood vessels, the risk of hypertension is influenced by body weight. Obesity causes the body to need more blood, which increases the load on the heart and blood vessels. According to statistics, 85% of people suffering from this disease have a body mass index higher than normal. If obesity is associated with diabetes, this indicates a more complex metabolic syndrome - a metabolic pathology in which the destruction of vascular walls by cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose can lead to the development of atherosclerosis.
Sleep apnea is also a risk factor for the development of hypertension - stopping breathing for 10 seconds or more during sleep. This happens with severe snoring, when the airways are completely blocked due to pathology of their structure or other reasons. Each cessation of breathing is a significant stress for the body and the pressure rises to 200-250 mmHg. Art. Regular attacks lead to chronic high blood pressure.
Way of life
A poor lifestyle is a group of risk factors that is easiest to control in order to prevent the occurrence of diseases. These include:
- unhealthy diet, leading to an imbalance in the salt balance in the body;
- lack of physical activity;
- smoking;
- alcohol abuse;
- chronic stress.
Excessive consumption of table salt is a symptom that unites most people with high blood pressure; Risk factors include both increased sodium and low potassium. Salts affect pressure on both sides: they cause blood vessels to constrict and retain water in the body. As a result, the volume of blood and its pressure on the artery walls increase. To avoid this, you should eat no more than 5. 8 g of salt per day.
A sedentary lifestyle doesn’t just lead to obesity. With a lack of activity, an arrhythmia develops - the heart weakens, and in order to pump blood in the required quantities, it has to beat more often, which increases the load on the entire cardiovascular system. During exercise, hormones are produced that strengthen the heart muscle and relax blood vessels, leading to a decrease in blood pressure.
Tobacco increases blood pressure, whether it is smoked, chewed or snorted. The chemicals it is impregnated with destroy blood vessels. Nicotine has a complex effect on the circulatory system: it accelerates the heart rate, increases the load on blood vessels and narrows the lumen of the arteries. Electronic cigarettes do not save you from this negative effect, although without the carbon monoxide produced during the combustion of tobacco entering the blood, the blood vessels will always be healthier.
Alcohol destroys the heart muscle, leading to an increase in blood pressure. Women are recommended to drink no more than 0. 5 liters of drinks with 5% alcohol per day, men - no more than 1 liter before the age of 65 and no more than 0. 5 liters - after 65 years.
Stress causes disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system and leads to a complex deterioration in the functioning of the body, in particular by affecting blood pressure. In addition, it is the cause of the emergence of bad habits - overeating, smoking and alcoholism, which directly increase the risk of developing high blood pressure.
Heredity
Family history is particularly important in diagnosing hypertension; risk factors are generally the general environment (ecological situation of the place where the family lives) and behavior (factors linked to lifestyle are likely to be transmitted from parents to child), but above all genes. Heredity is considered the main factor in the development of high blood pressure: there are genes that cause an increase in the synthesis of renin, a kidney hormone that increases blood pressure.
Hypertension is associated with heredity in 30% of cases, so it is important to monitor family history and note all diseases diagnosed in relatives (parents, brothers and sisters, grandparents) - this will allowassess the risk of developing a pathology and prevent it. If there is a risk, you need to control your lifestyle even more carefully.
Knowing all these factors, hypertension can be prevented by monitoring the development of prehypertension, a condition in which blood pressure is on the border between normal and dangerous.
| State | Pressure values (mmHg) | |
|---|---|---|
| Systolic | Diastolic | |
| Standard | 120 | 80 |
| Prehypertension | 120-139 | 80-89 |
| Hypertension | >140 | >90 |
In order to detect the disease in time if you are at risk, or to monitor your health in case of hypertension, it is recommended to measure your blood pressure twice a day: in the morning and in the evening, as well as when youfeel bad.
Risk factors for secondary hypertension
If primary hypertension develops against the background of a general deterioration in the condition of the body and in particular the circulatory system, risk factors for the development of secondary type hypertension are specific diseases of the kidneys, glandsendocrines and the cardiovascular system.
Kidney diseases
The main renal pathology leading to an increase in blood pressure is a decrease in the lumen of the renal artery. It can be congenital or develop at a later age. The main reasons for the intravital development of pathology:
- thickening of the smooth muscles of the artery - occurs in young women;
- atherosclerosis - in the elderly.
Due to this disease, blood flow in the kidneys deteriorates, leading to increased secretion of renin and angiotensin. Combined with the adrenal hormone aldosterone, they lead to an increase in vascular tone and an increase in blood pressure. To treat the pathology, the vessel is mechanically dilated and reinforced with a frame.
In addition, changes in hormonal levels can be influenced by chronic pathological processes in the kidneys - pyelonephritis, stone formation in the bladder, etc. The opposite reaction can also occur - hypertension leads to diseases of the urinary system.
Adrenal tumors
Sometimes diseases of the adrenal glands lead to increased arterial tone. These include the development of tumors that increase hormone production:
- Aldosterome – produces aldosterone. In addition to hypertension, this also leads to increased excretion of potassium from the body.
- Pheochromocytoma: Produces adrenaline, which increases the heart rate, leading to an increase in blood pressure. Additional symptoms are flushing, skin redness and increased sweating.
In both cases, treatment involves removing the adrenal glands.
Thyroid dysfunction
In case of secondary hypertension, risk factors may be certain diseases of the thyroid gland: diffuse goiter, nodular goiter. They lead to thyrotoxicosis - an increase in the production of thyroid hormones. These biologically active substances regulate the body's metabolism; when they are in excess, the heart rate increases, which leads to an increase in blood pressure.
To take pills
In addition to diseases, secondary hypertension can be caused by taking various medications and other substances. These include:
- antidepressants;
- rhinitis drops and sprays;
- anti-inflammatory drugs;
- oral contraceptives;
- corticosteroids;
- narcotic substances - cocaine, amphetamines;
- hematopoietic stimulant;
- asthma medications;
- Blood pressure medications – when stopped, can cause a sharp increase in blood pressure.
If hypertension is caused by medications, you should consult a doctor and replace the medications you are taking with analogues that have fewer side effects.
Other risks of developing the disease
There are othershypertension risk factors. Unlike diseases and lifestyle choices, they cannot be eliminated or controlled.
One of these factors is race. Research shows that high blood pressure is more common and develops earlier in blacks than in whites, Hispanics, Asians and others.
The sex of the person also influences: men have a higher risk of hypertension, especially in adulthood and old age. Women are at risk during menopause and during pregnancy. The risk increases with age in both sexes. If up to 29 years old the probability of developing the disease does not exceed 10%, then between 60 and 69 years old it reaches 50%.
Most of the world's population is exposed to risk factors for hypertension at some point in their lives. In the United States, according to a study, 9 out of 10 people suffer from it sooner or later, and in most cases it is associated with an unhealthy lifestyle. Breaking bad habits, having regular checkups with your doctor, and monitoring your blood pressure are the best ways to stay safe.