The causes of hypertension that you should know

Cases of high blood pressure or hypertension continue to increase from year to year. The latest data from the Ministry of Health's Riskesdas shows that cases of hypertension in the country increased from 25.8% in 2013 to 34.1 percent at the end of 2018. Although it continues to increase, preventing hypertension is still possible. You can lower your risk of developing this disease in the future by knowing the various causes of high blood pressure or hypertension.

Based on the cause, there are two types of hypertension that are common, namely primary hypertension and secondary hypertension. Whatever the cause, these two types of hypertension need to be watched out for. If not treated properly, high blood pressure can lead to complications of hypertension, such as heart disease or kidney failure. In fact, in women, the risk factors for hypertension increase with the special conditions they have.

What are the causes of primary hypertension?

Primary hypertension or also called essential hypertension is a condition of high blood pressure with no clear cause. As many as 95 percent of people who have high blood pressure fall into this category. Most people who have this type of hypertension will not experience significant symptoms of high blood pressure.

Primary hypertension can be experienced by all ages, but most often occurs in middle age. The cause of primary hypertension is not certain. However, experts suspect that genetic factors combined with unhealthy lifestyle factors can be the cause.

Here are some factors that can contribute to primary hypertension:

1. Too much salt consumption

Salt is not completely evil. However, it is possible that salt causes hypertension when consumed in excess.

Consuming salt can increase the amount of sodium in the body. The excess sodium will make it difficult for the kidneys to get rid of the remaining fluid in the body, resulting in fluid buildup. Finally, this buildup of fluid causes blood pressure to rise.

Too much salt intake also puts extra pressure on the artery walls. This extra pressure makes the arteries thicken and become narrower so that the blood pressure increases. Eventually, the artery will burst or become blocked. Damage to these arteries will also block blood flow to several organs, such as the heart and brain.

Salt intake does not only come from added table salt or cooking salt alone. Salt or sodium that is at risk of causing hypertension can be found in other forms, for example in packaged foods or fast food (fast food).

Research published in the Journal of Human Hypertension states, reducing the portion of salt (in any form) from 10 grams to 6 grams per day reduces the risk of high blood pressure. Reducing salt can also reduce the risk of death from stroke by 14 percent and 9 percent of the risk of dying from coronary heart disease from complications of hypertension.

Therefore, if you have a history of high blood pressure, your doctor will definitely ask you to go on a hypertensive diet by reducing salt intake. Even though you are regularly taking high blood pressure medications, you still have to reduce your salt intake to avoid complications of hypertension.

2. Frequent stress

Stress can increase your blood pressure. When stressed, the body releases the hormones cortisol and adrenaline which can cause an increase in heart rate. These hormones can also constrict blood vessels, resulting in an increase in blood pressure.

The effects of increasing blood pressure due to stress tend to be temporary. Experts are not sure that stress can cause hypertension in the long run. However, reducing stress can improve your overall health so that your blood pressure can be maintained.

The reason is, the stress that is allowed to continue can trigger unhealthy lifestyle changes. Stress often makes you "crave" smoking, drinking alcohol, or even overeating. Well, in the end these things are the cause of the increasing tension and symptoms of hypertension to appear.

Stress generally occurs due to various things, such as work, family, or financial matters. In addition, stress can also occur in someone who is sleep deprived. Therefore, lack of sleep can cause hypertension in a person.

3. Lazy motion

Lazy movement, aka mager, is a cause of high blood pressure or hypertension which is often underestimated. The heart rate of people who rarely move usually tends to be fast. This is the cause of the heart having to work extra hard to pump blood, which ultimately results in an increase in blood pressure or hypertension.

So, don't make the excuse that you don't have time to exercise if you want to avoid hypertension. Start slowly with light exercise, but routine and regular, such as walking.

Doing physical activity or regular exercise has long been known to be effective in keeping blood pressure stable. In the end, regular exercise helps keep you away from the causes of high blood pressure or hypertension.

4. Being overweight or obese

Obesity and being overweight are closely related to high blood pressure. In fact, these two things are considered as the most common causes of hypertension.

You are classified as overweight if your body mass index is above 23. Meanwhile, you are classified as obese if your body mass index is above 25. Check your body mass index first with the BMI calculator here. Your high BMI number can be an indicator of the cause of hypertension.

The heavier your body mass, the more blood is needed to deliver oxygen and nutrients to all body tissues. This is of course the cause of the heart's work harder than usual, so that blood pressure will gradually rise and hypertension cannot be avoided.

5. Smoking habits

Smoking is also one of the most common causes of hypertension or high blood pressure. Cigarettes have been shown to make blood pressure increase sharply after the first puff. In particular, the systolic blood pressure increases to 4 mmHg.

This is because the content of harmful substances in it, such as nicotine, can damage the lining of the artery walls. When this happens, the arteries will narrow and blood pressure will rise.

Increased blood pressure due to smoking can also cause long-term damage to the blood vessels of people with hypertension. Thus, active smokers with high blood pressure are at risk of developing complications from hypertension, such as strokes, heart disease and heart attacks.

6. Excessive alcohol consumption

Another cause of hypertension or high blood pressure is drinking (alcohol) or alcoholic beverages. Reporting from the Mayo Clinic, drinking excessive alcohol can raise blood pressure to unhealthy levels.

Consuming more than three alcoholic drinks at a time can temporarily raise blood pressure, but consuming them repeatedly can cause long-term hypertension.

The American Heart Association (AHA) says alcohol can increase fat levels in the blood which can cause fat buildup in the walls of arteries. When this happens, blood pressure will increase and also increase the risk of other diseases, such as heart attack, stroke, or disorders of other vital organs.

Then, what can be the causes of secondary hypertension?

In some cases, other pre-existing medical problems can be the cause of hypertension or high blood pressure. This condition is called secondary hypertension. The use of certain drugs also has the potential to cause secondary hypertension or high blood pressure.

Secondary hypertension tends to appear suddenly and can be the cause of blood pressure to jump higher than primary hypertension. Here are some conditions and drugs that can cause hypertension or secondary high blood pressure:

1. Sleep apnea

Disturbed breathing during sleep, also known as obstructive sleep apnea, causes your breathing to temporarily stop. This condition causes the body to experience a decrease in oxygen levels in the blood. If this happens, the function of the heart and blood vessels can be disturbed, so that blood pressure increases.

Not only does it cause blood pressure to rise, sleep apnea also increases your risk of having a heart attack, stroke, and irregular heartbeat (palpitations).

2. Kidney problems

It turns out that kidney problems can also be the cause of your high blood pressure. This condition is usually referred to as renal hypertension. How can kidney problems be the cause of hypertension?

Hypertension due to kidney problems occurs when the blood vessels in the kidneys become narrow (stenosis). When the kidneys don't get enough blood, they will think your body is dehydrated. Thus, the kidneys respond by releasing hormones that trigger the body to retain salt and water in the body.

This condition causes the buildup of excess fluid in the blood vessels, which causes high blood pressure or hypertension.

Narrowing of the blood vessels in the renal arteries is usually caused by atheroscleroris, or hardening of the arteries. This disease is also a common cause of heart attacks and strokes. However, the cause of hardening of the arteries is still unknown.

3. Tumors of the adrenal glands

One of the other causes of hypertension is an abnormality in your adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are small organs located near your kidneys. The function of these glands is to produce aldosterone, epinephrine, and norepinephrine, which are hormones that play a role in regulating blood pressure.

If there is a tumor, the adrenal glands will produce more hormones. This increase in hormones has the potential to cause your blood pressure to rise, so hypertension can occur.

In addition, you may also experience other signs and symptoms, such as dizziness, excessive sweating, rapid heartbeat, and easy bruising on several parts of the body.

4. Thyroid disorders

According to the site American Family Physician , thyroid gland problems are also often associated as a cause of high blood pressure or hypertension. About 3% of patients with high blood pressure also develop hypothyroidism.

How can thyroid problems cause hypertension? So, the thyroid gland is an organ that produces hormones that regulate metabolism, body temperature, heart rate, body weight, and so on.

Hypothyroidism itself is a disorder in which the glands cannot produce enough hormones for the body. Not only hypothyroidism, excess hormone production in the thyroid or hyperthyroidism also turns out to have the potential to cause your blood pressure to become high and hypertension to appear.

5. History of diabetes

Another disease that can cause high blood pressure is diabetes mellitus, which also includes type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes.

The body of people with diabetes does not have enough insulin to process sugar in the body, or the insulin in the body is abnormal. Insulin itself is a hormone that helps the body process sugar from food into energy. If insulin is a problem, sugar cannot be processed by the body's cells, so it will accumulate in the blood vessels and risk becoming a cause of hypertension.

If there is a buildup of sugar in the blood, there is a greater chance of health complications, including heart disease, stroke, kidney problems, and other health problems.

Apart from the things mentioned above, other health conditions that can cause high blood pressure or hypertension are:

• Congenital defects in blood vessels.
• Certain medications, such as birth control pills, flu, decongestants, pain relievers and some prescription drugs.
• Illegal drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines.
• Pregnancy.

Risk factors for hypertension or high blood pressure

The term "risk factor" itself is not a direct cause of hypertension or high blood pressure. Risk factors are habits, conditions, and similar things that can increase your risk of developing disease.

Therefore, the more risk factors for hypertension you have, the greater your chances of developing high blood pressure.

Hypertension risk factors are divided into two, namely irreversible and irreversible. Some of the irreversible causes of hypertension include:

• Age

As we get older, our blood vessels are getting stiffer, no longer elastic. As a result, blood pressure is increasing. Although high blood pressure is most common in adults, children are also at risk. The cause of hypertension in children is mostly due to problems with the kidneys or heart. However, some unhealthy lifestyle habits can also increase the risk of hypertension in children.

• Family history of hypertension

If your parents, siblings, or other family members have high blood pressure, you are at an increased risk of developing high blood pressure.

• Gender

Until they reach the age of 64, men are more prone to developing high blood pressure than women. Meanwhile, at the age of 65 years and over, women are more prone to experiencing high blood pressure.

• Race

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , black people tend to be more susceptible to hypertension than other populations. In addition, being born with black race or ethnicity is also a risk factor for suffering from hypertension at a younger age.

While the risk factors for hypertension that can still be changed include:

• Obesity and overweight.
• Lack of movement.
• Unhealthy diet (too much salt and lack of potassium).
• Alcohol addiction.
• Stress.
• Smoke.
• Take certain drugs, such as NSAIDs, birth control pills, cold medicines, and so on.
• Have a history of certain diseases, such as obstructive sleep apnea or diabetes.

Specific risk factors for hypertension in women

Hypertension affects men and women in different ways. In women, there are other possible risk factors for hypertension that men do not have. The following are risk factors in women that can cause hypertension:

• Use of birth control pills

A study found that birth control pills are at risk of increasing blood pressure in women, especially those who are overweight, have high blood pressure in previous pregnancies, have a family history of hypertension, and smoke.

• Pregnancy

Pregnancy can cause gestational hypertension, which is blood pressure jumps during pregnancy. This condition can happen quickly, so it is common for your doctor to monitor your blood pressure closely during pregnancy.

• Menopause

During menopause, hormonal changes occur in a woman's body. These hormonal changes can lead to weight gain which can put your blood pressure at risk.

Despite having additional risk factors, women can avoid hypertension by adopting a healthy lifestyle before using birth control pills, becoming pregnant, and even before entering menopause.

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