Risk factors for hypertension can vary depending on the type of disease. There are two types: primary, or essential, hypertension 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 condition of the body, lifestyle and heredity. Secondary hypertension affects 5% of patients, and the risk factor for its development are various pathologies of specific organs. Some factors can be controlled, reducing the risk of developing the disease.
Risk factors for primary hypertension
Essential arterial hypertension is a multifactorial disease; In some cases it is impossible to accurately determine the cause of the increase in pressure. The danger of the disease lies in the fact that its symptoms do not appear immediately: the causes can undermine health gradually, imperceptibly. Furthermore, even in a latent state, hypertension increases the risk of developing myocardial infarction and stroke.
Health state
One of the reasons for the development of hypertension is the deterioration of the elasticity of arterioles - small arterial vessels that transfer blood to the capillaries. The condition of the vascular walls is influenced by several factors:
- aging of the body;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- inheritance;
- inflammatory processes in tissues.
Blood composition is also important for vascular health. Weakening of the circulatory system is mainly associated with diabetes mellitus. Blood glucose levels are regulated by insulin, a pancreatic hormone. If its secretion is reduced or cannot perform its functions normally, the 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 state of blood vessels, the risk of hypertension is influenced by body weight. Obesity causes the body to require more blood, which increases the load on the heart and blood vessels. According to statistics, 85% of those who suffer from 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: cessation of breathing for 10 or more seconds during sleep. This happens with severe snoring, when the airways are completely blocked due to pathologies of their structure or other reasons. Each cessation of breathing represents a strong stress on the body, and the pressure rises to 200–250 mmHg. Art. Regular attacks lead to chronic arterial hypertension.
Lifestyle
An inadequate lifestyle constitutes a group of risk factors that are easier to control to prevent the onset of diseases. These include:
- unhealthy diet, leading to an imbalance in the salt balance in the body;
- lack of physical activity;
- to smoke;
- alcohol abuse;
- chronic stress.
Excessive consumption of table salt is a symptom common to most people who suffer from arterial hypertension; Risk factors for this include both increased sodium concentration and low potassium. Salts affect pressure on both sides: they cause constriction of blood vessels and retain water in the body. As a result, both the volume of blood and its pressure on the walls of the arteries increases. To avoid this, it is not necessary to eat 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 amount 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, which leads to a decrease in blood pressure.
Tobacco increases blood pressure regardless of whether it is smoked, chewed, or snorted. The chemicals it is soaked in destroy blood vessels. Nicotine has a complex effect on the circulatory system: it accelerates the heartbeat, increases the load on blood vessels and narrows the lumen of the arteries. E-cigarettes do not save from this negative effect, although without the carbon monoxide produced when burning tobacco entering the blood, the blood vessels will still be healthier.
Alcohol destroys the heart muscle, which leads to increased 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 the functioning of the body, also affecting blood pressure. In addition, it is the backdrop to the emergence of bad habits: overeating, smoking and alcoholism, which directly increase the risk of developing arterial hypertension.
Inheritance
Family history is particularly important for the diagnosis of hypertension; the risk factors, as a rule, are the general environment (ecological situation in the place where the family lives) and behavior (factors related to lifestyle that can be transmitted from parents to the child), but above all 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 renal hormone that increases blood pressure.
Hypertension is associated with heredity in 30% of cases, so it is important to monitor family history and write down all diseases diagnosed in close relatives (parents, brothers and sisters, grandparents): this will help assess the risk of developing the pathology and prevent it. If there is a risk, you need to monitor your lifestyle even more carefully.
By knowing all of these factors, you can prevent hypertension 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 | |
| Norm | 120 | 80 |
| Prehypertension | 120–139 | 80–89 |
| Hypertension | >140 | >90 |
To detect the disease early 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 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, risk factors for the development of secondary type hypertension are specific diseases of the kidneys, endocrine glands and cardiovascular system .
Kidney diseases
The main renal pathology leading to increased blood pressure is a decrease in the lumen of the renal artery. It can be congenital or develop in old age. The main reasons for the intravital development of pathology:
- thickening of the smooth muscle of the artery - 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 an increase in vascular tone and an increase in blood pressure. To treat the pathology, the vessel is mechanically expanded and reinforced with a frame.
Also, 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
Occasionally, 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 accelerates the heartbeat, leading to an increase in blood pressure. Further symptoms are hot flashes, redness of the skin and increased sweating.
In both cases, treatment consists of removal of the adrenal glands.
Thyroid dysfunction
In case of secondary hypertension, risk factors may be some thyroid diseases: diffuse goiter, nodular goiter. They lead to thyrotoxicosis: an increase in the production of thyroid hormones. These biologically active substances regulate metabolism in the body; when they are in excess, the heart rate increases, which leads to an increase in blood pressure.
Taking medications
In addition to diseases, secondary hypertension can be caused by taking various drugs and other substances. These include:
- antidepressants;
- drops and sprays for rhinitis;
- anti-inflammatory drugs;
- oral contraceptives;
- corticosteroids;
- narcotic substances - cocaine, amphetamines;
- hematopoietic stimulant;
- asthma medications;
- Anti-hypertension drugs: If stopped, they can cause a sharp 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.
Other risks of developing the disease
There are othersrisk factors for hypertension. 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 has an influence: men have a greater 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 the probability of developing the disease does not exceed 10%, at 60-69 years it reaches 50%.
The majority of the world's population is exposed, at some point in their lives, to risk factors for hypertension. In the United States, according to research, 9 out of 10 people get it at some point, and in most cases this is associated with an unhealthy lifestyle. Stopping bad habits, getting regular checkups from your doctor, and monitoring your blood pressure are the best ways to stay safe.