Hypertension-FAQ.com

In primary hypertension, the exact or specific cause of the condition is not known or cannot be determined. However, there are factors that are believed to lead to the condition. The following factors are among those considered to be hypertension causes.

Obesity is a hypertension cause. Persons who are obese face five times more risk of hypertension than those who have healthy weight. Two-thirds of primary hypertension cases point to obesity as the hypertension cause since most of their BMI are more than 25.

Sensitivity to sodium is also identified as a hypertension cause. An increased intake of sodium will make the body’s cells release water to neutralize the concentration of salt in the cells and in the bloodstream. This increases the pressure on the walls of the blood vessels.

A high level of renin in the body is also a hypertension cause. Renin is an enzyme from the kidney. The amount of renin in persons with hypertension has been observed to be lower than that of others. This hypertension cause is more commonly observed in African Americans, which is also probably the reason why African Americans respond to diuretics more than the others.

Resistance to insulin is another hypertension cause. The body secretes insulin, a hormone that regulates blood glucose levels. One property of insulin is that it is a vasodilator. Resistance to insulin is said to cause an increase in the arterial pressure.

Another hypertension cause is sleep apnea. It is often not taken seriously although it can result in increased blood pressure. This hypertension cause can be treated using many methods, one of which is through a nocturnal nasal airway pressure.

Genetics is also one of the factors that cause hypertension. The heritability of developing hypertension is said to be 30%.

Whatever the hypertension cause that may be present in you, there are still preventive measures you can take to avoid hypertension. Visit your doctor to know how your condition can be treated.