Hypertension and its causes

Some 70 million adults in United States are affected by hypertension. The condition also affects about two million teens and children. According to a report issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in September 2012, over half all Americans with hypertension do not have their high blood pressure under control. The normal level for blood pressure is below 120/80, where 120 represent the systolic measurement (peak pressure in the arteries) and 80 represents the diastolic measurement (minimum pressure in the arteries). Blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89 is called pre-hypertension (to denote increased risk of hypertension), and a blood pressure of 140/90 or above is considered hypertension.

Hypertension may be classified as essential or secondary. Essential hypertension is the term for high blood pressure with unknown cause. It accounts for about 95% of cases. Secondary hypertension is the term for high blood pressure with a known direct cause, such as kidney disease, tumors, or birth control pills.

The exact causes of hypertension are usually unknown, there are several factors that have been highly associated with the condition. These include:

§               Smoking

§               Obesity or being overweight

§               Diabetes

§               Sedentary lifestyle

§               Lack of physical activity

§               High levels of salt intake (sodium sensitivity). According to the American Heart

Association (AHA), sodium consumption should be limited to 1,500 milligrams per day, and that includes everybody, even healthy people without high blood pressure, diabetes or cardiovascular diseases.

§               Insufficient calcium, potassium, and magnesium consumption

§               Vitamin D deficiency

§               High levels of alcohol consumption

§               Stress

§               Aging

§               Medicines such as birth control pills

§               Genetics and a family history of hypertension

§               Chronic kidney diseases

§               Adrenal and thyroid problems or tumors.

Statistics in USA indicate that African Americans have a higher incidence of hypertension than other ethnicities.