High blood pressure is high pressure in the arteries. Arteries are actually vessels that take blood to the various organs and tissues from the heart. As people grow older, blood pressure is likely to increase unless measures are used to curtail it. There are some medical problems that can cause a person’s blood pressure to rise. These include thyroid disease, chronic kidney disease and sleep apnea. Blood pressure may also rise because of specific medications being taken. Some examples are medications to treat asthma particularly corticosteroids or products for the relief of colds. 120/80 is regarded as normal blood pressure; blood pressure ranging 120/80 and 139/89 is referred to as pre-hypertension. Blood pressure is considered high when it is 140/90 or higher. It is noteworthy that high blood pressure may not be accompanied by symptoms and as such it is important that persons get their blood pressure checked.
Factors that cause high blood pressure in women
The question of what causes high blood pressure may also arise for women who are relatively young and are experiencing that condition. There may be an increase in blood pressure for women who are using birth control pills, those taking hormone therapy or for women who become pregnant.
Women who are using birth control pills normally have a small rise in diastolic and systolic blood pressures. If a woman already has high blood pressure and wishes to take birth control pills it is important that they notify their doctor about the HBP. They will need to inquire about how often the blood pressure should be checked and the ways to regulate it for the duration of taking the pills.
Additionally the use of hormones to lower symptoms of menopause may result in a small rise in systolic blood pressure. Again it is imperative that women who already have high blood pressure and wish to start taking hormones that they consult with their doctors. They should find out how to regulate their blood pressure once they start using the hormones.
What causes High Blood Pressure in children?
Those children who are younger than ten years old many times may have a problem which brings on high blood pressure. A prime example of this could be kidney disease. Taking steps to treat that deeper problem may take care of the problem of high blood pressure.
High blood pressure in adults particularly may be caused by non-physical reasons also. Emotional problems can play a great role in increasing blood pressure. Stress brought on by daily challenges from work, children, relationships and other things could raise a person’s blood pressure.
High blood pressure and pre-hypertension can cause damage to blood vessels. This increases the risk of heart disease and heart attack, kidney failure and stroke. Try to prevent or control high blood pressure before it spirals into those fatal illnesses. A meaningful step towards treating high blood pressure is a change in lifestyle. This change can also be supported by medication.
