Risk factors for hypertension may vary depending on the type of disease. There are two types: primary, or essential, and secondary hypertension. The first type occurs many times 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 state of the body, lifestyle and heredity. Secondary hypertension affects 5% of patients, and risk factors for its development are various pathologies of certain organs. Several factors can be controlled, reducing the risk of this disease.
Risk factors for primary hypertension
Essential arterial hypertension is a multifactorial disease; In some cases, it is impossible to determine exactly the cause of the increase in pressure. The danger of this disease lies in the fact that the symptoms do not appear immediately - the cause can affect health gradually, imperceptibly. Moreover, even in a latent state, hypertension increases the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke.
Health status
One of the reasons for the development of hypertension is the deterioration of the elasticity of arterioles - the small arterial vessels that transport blood to the capillaries. The state of the vascular wall is influenced by several factors:
- aging of the body;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- descent;
- inflammatory process in tissues.
Blood composition is also important for vascular health. Weakness of the circulatory system is mainly associated with diabetes mellitus. Blood glucose levels are controlled by insulin, a pancreatic hormone. If its secretion is reduced or it cannot perform its function normally, blood vessels are stimulated by the sympathetic nervous system more 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 those with this disease have a body mass index higher than normal. If obesity is combined with diabetes, this indicates a more complex metabolic syndrome - a metabolic pathology in which the destruction of vessel walls by cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose can lead to the development of atherosclerosis.
A risk factor for the development of hypertension is also sleep apnea - stopping breathing for 10 seconds or more during sleep. This happens with severe snoring, when the airways are completely blocked due to structural pathology or other reasons. Each cessation of breathing is a strong stress for the body, and the pressure rises to 200-250 mmHg. Art. Frequent attacks lead to chronic arterial hypertension.
Way of life
A bad lifestyle is a group of risk factors that can be easily controlled to prevent disease attacks. This includes:
- an unhealthy diet, leading to an imbalance in the salt balance in the body;
- lack of physical activity;
- smoking;
- alcohol abuse;
- chronic stress.
Excessive use of table salt is a symptom that unites most people who suffer from arterial hypertension; Risk factors for this include increased sodium concentration and low potassium content. Salt affects pressure on both sides: it causes constriction of blood vessels and retains water in the body. As a result, both blood volume and its pressure on the arterial wall increase. To avoid this, you should eat no more than 5. 8 g of salt per day.
A sedentary lifestyle does not only lead to obesity. With a lack of activity, arrhythmia develops - the heart becomes weak, and in order to pump blood in the required quantity 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 the blood vessels, which leads to a decrease in blood pressure.
Tobacco increases blood pressure regardless of whether it is smoked, chewed or inhaled. Chemicals used to destroy blood vessels. Nicotine has a complex effect on the circulatory system - it accelerates the heartbeat, increases the load on the blood vessels, and narrows the lumen of the arteries. Electronic cigarettes do not save you from these negative effects, although without the carbon monoxide produced during the burning of tobacco entering the blood, the blood vessels will remain healthier.
Alcohol destroys the heart muscle, which leads to an increase in blood pressure. Women are recommended to drink no more than 0. 5 liters of drinks with an alcohol content of 5% per day, men - no more than 1 liter before the age of 65 and no more than 0. 5 liters - after the age of 65.
Stress causes disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system and leads to a complex deterioration in body functions, including this affecting blood pressure. In addition, it is the background for the appearance of bad habits - overeating, smoking and alcohol, which directly increase the risk of developing arterial hypertension.
Ancestry
Family history is especially important when diagnosing hypertension; risk factors, as a rule, are the general environment (ecological conditions in the family's residence) and behavior (lifestyle factors are likely to be passed down from parents to children), but mainly genes. Heredity is considered the main factor in the development of arterial hypertension: there are genes that cause an increase in the synthesis of renin, a kidney hormone that increases blood pressure.
Hypertension is linked to heredity in 30% of cases, so it is important to monitor family history and pay attention to all diseases diagnosed in close relatives (parents, siblings, grandparents) - this will help assess the risk of developing pathology and prevent it. If there is a risk, you need to control your lifestyle more carefully.
Knowing all these factors, hypertension can be prevented by monitoring the development of prehypertension, a condition where blood pressure is on the borderline between normal and dangerous.
| state | Pressure value (mmHg) | |
|---|---|---|
| systolic | Diastolic | |
| norm | 120 | 80 |
| Prehypertension | 120–139 | 80–89 |
| Hypertension | >140 | >90 |
To detect the disease in time if you are at risk, or to monitor your health status in the 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 you feel unwell.
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, then the risk factors for the development of secondary hypertension are specific diseases of the kidneys, endocrine glands and the cardiovascular system.
Kidney disease
The main kidney pathology that leads to an increase in blood pressure is a decrease in the lumen of the renal artery. It can be congenital or develop at an older age. The main reasons for the development of intravital pathology:
- arterial smooth muscle thickening - occurs in young women;
- atherosclerosis - in old age.
Due to this disease, blood flow in the kidneys worsens, resulting in increased secretion of renin and angiotensin. Together with the adrenal hormone aldosterone, they lead to increased vascular tone and increased blood pressure. To treat pathology, the vessel is mechanically expanded and reinforced with a frame.
In addition, changes in hormone levels can be affected 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, adrenal gland disease leads to increased arterial tone. These include the development of tumors that increase hormone production:
- Aldosterone - produces aldosterone. In addition to hypertension, this also leads to increased excretion of potassium from the body.
- Pheochromocytoma—produces adrenaline, which speeds up the heart rate, leading to increased blood pressure. Additional symptoms are hot flashes, skin flushing, and increased sweating.
In both cases, treatment consists of removing the adrenal gland.
Thyroid dysfunction
In the case of secondary hypertension, the risk factor may be several diseases of the thyroid gland: diffuse goiter, nodular goiter. They lead to thyrotoxicosis - an increase in the production of thyroid hormones. This biologically active substance regulates metabolism in the body; when they are excessive, the heartbeat increases, which leads to an increase in blood pressure.
Take medications
In addition to disease, secondary hypertension can be caused by the intake of various drugs and other substances. This includes:
- antidepressants;
- drops and sprays for rhinitis;
- anti-inflammatory drugs;
- oral contraceptives;
- corticosteroids;
- narcotics - cocaine, amphetamines;
- hematopoietic stimulants;
- asthma medicine;
- Anti-hypertensive drugs - when stopped, can cause a sudden increase in blood pressure.
If hypertension is caused by drugs, you should consult a doctor and replace the drugs you are taking with analogues with fewer side effects.
Another risk for developing this disease
There are othersrisk factors for hypertension. Unlike diseases and lifestyle choices, they cannot be eliminated or controlled.
One of those factors is race. Research shows that arterial hypertension is more common and develops earlier in blacks than in whites, Hispanics, Asians, and others.
The person's gender also affects - 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 until the age of 29 the probability of developing the disease does not exceed 10%, then at the age of 60-69 it reaches 50%.
Most of the world's population is exposed to hypertension risk factors at one time or another in their lives. In the United States, according to research, 9 out of 10 people get it sooner or later, and in most cases this is associated with an unhealthy lifestyle. Breaking bad habits, getting regular checkups with your doctor, and monitoring your blood pressure are the best ways to stay safe.