Hypertension is a silent killer in the world today. Millions of people have suffered the fatal consequences of this condition. In America alone, there are millions of people un-diagnosed with high blood pressure and it seems that high blood pressure is a serious health issue. Before reading about the causes of Hypertension, let us first quickly learn the basics of how blood pressure works.

What is Blood Pressure?

Basically, blood pressure is the force of blood travelling the arteries. A person suffering from high blood pressure would greatly endanger his or her life if high blood pressure isn’t treated as soon as possible. Suffering from high blood pressure for a long time could cause a person to encounter the risks of stroke, heart attacks and heart disease. So it is vital that you quickly get yourself treated before it’s too late.

Causes of Hypertension

Did you know that there are two forms of high blood pressure? The main form of hypertension is the one which affects millions of people around the world and is known as Essential Hypertension. The second form of hypertension is known as Secondary Hypertension and is a rare occurrence where high blood pressure is caused by an abnormality in an organ.

There could be many causes of hypertension. Several factors such as age, ethnicity, weight, stress and family history affect high blood pressure. Let us read more below.

1) Age

There’s no telling how you might encounter high blood pressure as you get older. This is because your arteries start narrowing in time and your blood pressure rises.

2) Ethnicity

This is a cause that wonders researchers. It doesn’t appear to be in anyone’s knowledge why different ethnicities have increased rates of high blood pressure. Those from Asia are twice more likely to have high blood pressure at an early age than those living in the US and UK.

3) Obesity

Obesity is a major cause of high blood pressure. If you’re obese, you need to do lose weight before you have high blood pressure. Delaying time will be a big mistake and you will end up putting your life at risk. Learn more about the 'health problems caused by obesity'.

Summary

Overall, high blood pressure can be life threatening and dangerous. It is no wonder why high blood pressure is a major health issue.

Losing weight, maintaining a healthy diet and exercising are a few ways to lower the risks of high blood pressure. But there are some foods that can also lower blood pressure. For more information about the best foods that lower blood pressure, please visit ‘best foods that lower blood pressure’.

For more reading, please read about the home remedies for constipation, effects of stress, foods rich in iron, how to run faster, how to avoid a hangover, how to write a CV, how to get rid of acne, causes of tinnitus, how to cut your hair, top healthiest snacks for weight loss, top foods that lower cholesterol and reasons why you should eat foods with calcium.