Hypertension is the term used for when your blood pressure is too high and is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. Because high blood pressure usually has no symptoms it is known as the “silent killer”.
In approximately 95% of cases, the actual cause of hypertension is unknown. These cases are classed as ‘essential hypertension’. When hypertension results from an underlying condition, for example, kidney disorders, it is classified as ‘secondary hypertension’.
Hypertension is also a key feature of some rare genetic disorders, such as familial hyperaldosteronism, Liddle syndrome, and tumours called paragangliomas.
Hypertension tends to run in families. Individuals whose parents have hypertension have an increased risk of developing the condition themselves. It is not known exactly why this happens, but families share genes, environments, and lifestyle habits which can influence their health and are thought to contribute to the risk.
Apart from genetics, there are other causes of hypertension which are more prevalent. These are environmental and lifestyle factors such as an unhealthy diet, being overweight, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and a lack of physical activity.
How to manage hypertension?
Implementing lifestyle changes is the first step you should take. Examples of this include exercising more often, reducing salt intake in your diet, quitting smoking, reducing your alcohol consumption, and losing weight (if necessary). Monitoring your blood pressure at home is recommended by the American Heart Association for anyone with high blood pressure. With the Dario Smart Blood Pressure Monitor you can keep tabs on your numbers and check your progress between doctors’ appointments.
References
https://www.cdc.gov/ bloodpressure/risk_factors.htm.
https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/ condition/hypertension/#causes
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/ special-features/high-blood-pressure-understanding-silent-killer
DAR-0288 RevA