Hypertension Causes

Hypertension (also known as HTN or HTP) is a medical condition in which the blood pressure remains abnormally high. Hypertension is basically of two types: Primary or secondary hypertension. More than 9 in 10 people with high blood pressure have what's called 'primary' or 'essential hypertension'. Around 1 in 20 people with high blood pressure have 'secondary hypertension'.

Many prescriptions or overdose of drugs can lead to or exacerbate hypertension. For example, corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs increase blood pressure in most solid-organ transplant recipients. Medication taken for pain and inflammation such as anti-inflammatory drugs and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors may elevate blood pressure as their anti prostaglandin properties affect the kidneys.

Sodium concentration or salt retention is another factor that leads to hypertension. All of us tend to retain salt in our bodies and it holds onto water by the osmotic effect, and therefore water is not excreted as much as it would be otherwise through the kidneys and into the urine. On an average, every person tends to eat about three times the actual amount, which has an unfavorable effect on our health, including raising blood pressure.

Renin: Basically, Renin is an enzyme secreted by the juxtaglomerular apparatus of the kidney. In consequence, some hypertensive patients have been defined as having low-Renin and others as having essential hypertension. Low-Renin hypertension is more common in African Americans than white Americans.

Lifestyle choices are also one of the primary reasons behind hypertension. More and more people today are dependent on cheeseburgers, fries, potato chips and other oily stuff for satisfying their appetites. However, these things are dangerous because they contain about 25% more salt than prescribed. Sodium sensitivity is one of the primary reasons behind hypertension.

So, take a look at these causes and save yourself. After all, "Health is wealth."

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