Understanding High Blood Pressure: Causes & Risk Factors

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a condition that occurs when your blood pressure is higher than normal. It is important to know the causes in order to help prevent this condition

Congenital Heart Diseases

• Heart diseases or abnormalities can cause high blood pressure. The heart may pump too much blood due to the condition, causing hypertension.

Obesity

• If you are overweight, your body needs more blood to for a sufficient oxygen supply. Unfortunately, this causes higher blood pressure due to the amount of blood being pumped through your system.

Alcohol

• Prolonged or excessive alcohol consumption can cause your body to release too many hormones that increase your blood flow and heart rate, which can be a cause of high blood pressure.

Lack of Exercise

• If you are not physically active, your heart rate is higher than normal. The higher your heart rate, the higher chance you have of high blood pressure.

Substance Abuse

• Substance abuse, such as the use of cocaine, marijuana or other illegal drugs, can cause your heart rate to increase dramatically. This causes hypertension.