What Causes Blood Pressure To Increase : Everything You Must Know

What is Blood Pressure

What Causes Blood Pressure To Increase. Blood pressure is the force exerted by the circulating fluid (blood) inside the arteries on the wall of the artery. It is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg). A normal reading is 120/80 mmHg. When blood pressure is high, it means that the heart is pumping harder than usual to push blood around the body. If the pressure is low, it means that the blood vessels are not working properly and may need repair. High blood pressure is called hypertension.

Hypertension occurs when the amount of blood flowing through the arteries is greater than what the kidneys can remove. In addition to causing damage to the lining of the arteries, high blood pressure increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney disease, vision loss, and dementia.

Ageing

What Causes Blood Pressure To Increase. The ageing process begins at birth and continues throughout our lives. As we get older, our bodies change and become less able to function properly. Our immune system weakens and becomes less effective, causing us to catch illnesses easier than younger people. We lose muscle mass and bone density, which means we have less physical strength. Our hearing and eyesight deteriorate, and our skin loses its elasticity. These changes make us more susceptible to illness and injury.

Blood Pressure
Blood pressure (BP) is measured using two numbers – systolic and diastolic. Systolic refers to the top number and diastolic to the bottom number. A normal BP reading is 120/80 mmHg. If your systolic is higher than 140 and your diastolic is lower than 90, then you should consult your doctor about any underlying cause. What Causes Blood Pressure To Increase

Hypertension
Hypertension is defined as having high blood pressure. High blood pressure occurs when the force of the heart pushing out blood exceeds the force of blood flowing back into the arteries. When the heart beats faster, it pumps harder and pushes more blood out into the body. However, if the amount of blood being pumped out is greater than the amount coming back, the result is hypertension.

Causes of hypertension

There are many causes of hypertension, including:

• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Kidney disease
• Alcoholism
• Smoking
• Stress

Causes of High Blood Pressure

What Causes Blood Pressure To Increase. High blood pressure is caused by several factors including genetics, age, diet, lifestyle, environment, hormones, medications, and pregnancy. Genetics play a role in determining how much salt the body retains. Older people tend to retain more sodium than younger adults. Diet plays a major role in the amount of salt retained by the body. People who eat diets rich in processed foods have higher levels of salt in their bodies than those who consume fresh fruits and vegetables.

Lifestyle choices such as smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, being overweight, and lack of exercise increase the risk of developing high blood pressure. Hormones affect blood pressure. Pregnancy causes women’s blood pressure to rise temporarily. Medications taken to treat high blood pressure can cause side effects. Environmental factors such as exposure to air pollution and noise can contribute to high blood pressure.

The link between blood pressure and weight

Weight
Obesity is a major cause of high blood pressure. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension showed that obese people have higher blood pressures than those who aren’t overweight. Additionally, researchers at the University of California-San Francisco found that being overweight was associated with increased mortality rates among patients with diabetes. What Causes Blood Pressure To Increase

Diet
A diet rich in sodium (commonly known as salt) raises blood pressure. Foods containing excessive amounts of sodium include processed meats, fast foods, canned soups, breaded snack foods, and frozen meals. Try to limit yourself to no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day.

Exercise
Exercise lowers blood pressure. Studies show that regular exercise reduces blood pressure by 5 to 10 points. If you’re not exercising regularly, start slowly and gradually increase your activity level. You may want to try walking, swimming, biking, dancing, hiking, or playing sports.

Stress
Stress causes your body to release adrenaline, cortisol, and norepinephrine. These hormones raise blood pressure and make your pulse quicken. Relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga, deep breathing exercises, and massage help reduce stress levels and lower blood pressure.What Causes Blood Pressure To Increase

Alcohol
Alcohol consumption increases blood pressure. One drink contains approximately 100 mg of alcohol, which means that if you consume two drinks daily, you’ll ingest 200 mg of alcohol each day. Limit your intake to one drink per day.

Smoking
Smoking cigarettes increases blood pressure. Nicotine stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, which makes your heart beat faster and constricts blood vessels. Cigarette smoke also contains carbon monoxide, which binds with hemoglobin in red blood cells and decreases oxygen transport throughout the body.

Symptoms of High Blood Pressure

Symptoms of high blood pressure vary depending on whether it is mild, moderate, or severe. Mild cases do not require treatment. Moderate cases often experience headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, chest pain, fatigue, leg cramps, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, and fainting spells. Severe cases can lead to strokes, heart attacks, congestive heart failure, kidney problems, blindness, and death.

Treatment Options for High Blood Pressure

What Causes Blood Pressure To Increase. Treatment options for high blood pressure depend on its severity. There are three types of treatments: lifestyle changes, medication, and surgery. Lifestyle changes involve eating healthier food, exercising regularly, quitting smoking, losing weight if necessary, reducing stress, limiting caffeine intake, and controlling alcohol consumption.

Medication includes drugs that lower blood pressure. These include beta blockers, diuretics, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, and calcium channel blockers. Surgery involves removing extra fat from the abdomen, blocking off certain blood vessels, or replacing damaged valves.

1. Stress
   Stress is any situation where our body experiences a change in its normal state. It could be due to external factors like weather changes, illness, etc., or internal factors like mental strain, anxiety, etc. When we experience stress, our blood vessels constrict and our heart rate increases.
2. Alcohol
   Alcohol is a depressant drug that affects the central nervous system (CNS). It causes the release of neurotransmitters that affect the brain’s activity. These neurotransmitters cause the relaxation of muscles throughout the body. As a result, alcohol reduces blood flow to the brain, causing a reduction in cognitive function.What Causes Blood Pressure To Increase
3. Sugar
   Sugar is a simple carbohydrate that provides quick energy to the body. However, consuming sugar too often may lead to weight gain. In addition, excessive consumption of sugar can increase blood glucose levels, which can lead to high blood pressure.
4. Salt
   Salt is a mineral that contains sodium chloride. Sodium is a major electrolyte in the human body. Excessive salt intake can raise blood pressure.
5. Fatty Foods
   Fatty foods are rich in saturated fats. Saturated fat raises cholesterol levels in the bloodstream. High cholesterol levels have been linked to cardiovascular disease.
6. Processed Food
   Processed food is anything that has undergone some type of chemical processing. Processing involves changing the original ingredients of a product. Common examples of processed foods include bread, pasta, crackers, cookies, cake, ice cream, candy, chips, and soda.What Causes Blood Pressure To Increase
7. Caffeine
   Coffee, tea, chocolate, cola drinks, and many other caffeinated beverages contain caffeine. Caffeine stimulates the adrenal glands and increases adrenaline production. Adrenaline is a hormone that helps us deal with stressful situations. Too much caffeine can make people anxious and irritable.

The connection between blood pressure and sodium intake

1. Sodium
   Sodium is a mineral that is necessary for many processes in our bodies, including muscle contraction, nerve impulses, and fluid balance. When we consume foods high in sodium, our body absorbs some of the sodium and stores it in our muscles and bones. If we don’t replace these stores, they can cause us to retain water and become dehydrated. In addition, if we have too much sodium stored in our muscles and bones, it can lead to hypertension (high blood pressure).
2. Potassium
   Potash is a type of potassic salt that contains potassium. Potassium helps regulate fluids in cells and is involved in maintaining normal heart rhythm. A diet rich in potassium may help reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure.
3. Chloride
   Chloride is a chemical that occurs naturally in seawater. It’s present in almost all foods and is added to table salt. Chloride is necessary for proper digestion and absorption of vitamins and minerals. Too little chloride can result in poor bone density and osteoporosis.
4. Calciferous
   Calciferous refers to substances containing calcium. Calcium is a major constituent of bones and teeth. Foods high in calcium include dairy products, dark green vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, tofu, and whole grains.What Causes Blood Pressure To Increase
5. Iron
   Iron is a metal that is necessary for red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. Low iron levels can lead to fatigue, weakness, and headaches. Iron-rich foods include leafy greens, legumes, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dried fruits, and fortified cereals.
6. Zinc
   Zinc is a trace mineral that is necessary for the production of enzymes, hormones, and DNA. Zinc is also critical for wound healing and immune system function. Zinc-rich foods include oysters, beef, chicken, pumpkin seeds, cashews, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, broccoli, spinach, and lentils.
7. Copper
   Copper is a trace mineral that helps maintain strong hair, skin, nails, and bones. Copper is also necessary for the formation of connective tissue and collagen, two components of skin and tendons. Copper-rich foods include shellfish, liver, mushrooms, and peanuts.

How physical activity lowers blood pressure

1. Physical Activity
   Physical activity is any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in increased energy expenditure above resting levels. There are many different types of physical activities including aerobic exercise (running, biking, swimming), weight training, yoga, dance, etc. When we engage in physical activity, our heart rate increases and oxygen consumption rises. As a result, the body releases hormones that help regulate blood pressure. These hormones include epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisol, and endorphins. Endorphins are naturally occurring opiates that give us feelings of euphoria and pleasure. In addition, they have been shown to reduce pain sensitivity and increase tolerance to pain.
2. Blood Pressure
   Blood pressure is the force exerted by the blood pushing against the artery wall. High blood pressure occurs when the amount of blood flowing through the arteries exceeds the capacity of the heart to pump out enough blood. If the heart cannot keep up with the demand, then the arteries become stiffer and narrower. This causes the blood flow to slow down, resulting in low blood pressure. Low blood pressure may cause dizziness, fainting, headaches, chest pains, shortness of breath, and even death.
3. Hypertension
   Hypertension is high blood pressure. It affects about 1/3 of adults in the United States. People who have hypertension often do not know it until their doctor tells them they have it. However, if left untreated, hypertension can lead to stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, blindness, and dementia.
4. Exercise
   Exercise helps lower blood pressure. Studies show that people who regularly participate in moderate intensity exercise have significantly lower blood pressures than those who don’t. Moderate intensity means exercising at 50% to 70% of maximum heart rate. Maximum heart rate is determined by subtracting your age from 220. So, if you’re 20 years old, your maximum heart rate would be 180 beats per minute. To calculate how much time you should spend doing cardio exercises, multiply your target heart rate by 30 minutes. So, if you want to burn 200 calories in 30 minutes, you’d need to work out at 80% of your max heart rate.
5. Sodium
   Sodium is a mineral that’s necessary for maintaining fluid balance in the human body. Too little sodium causes dehydration, while too much sodium causes water retention. A diet rich in salt raises blood pressure. Salt is added to processed foods to preserve flavor and extend shelf-life. Most Americans consume between 2,400 mg and 4,000 mg of sodium daily. That’s nearly double what the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends for men ages 19 to 51 and women ages 19 to 49. Excessive amounts of sodium can damage the kidneys and contribute to high blood pressure.
6. Water
   Water is critical for keeping your blood volume stable. Dehydration makes your blood thicker and less able to move around the body. Your brain shrinks when you lose fluids, making you feel tired and sluggish. You’ll also experience muscle cramps and headaches. Drinking plenty of water keeps your blood vessels flexible and prevents constriction.
7. Weight Training
   Weight training builds lean muscle mass. Lean muscle mass burns fat faster than fat alone. Muscle burns fat even after you’ve stopped working out. Lifting weights also reduces blood pressure. Research shows that people who lift weights three times a week have lower blood pressure than those who don’t exercise at all.

Conclusion

What Causes Blood Pressure To Increase. Stress can have a profound effect on our bodies, and one of the most notable ways it affects us is by causing an increase in blood pressure. While a temporary spike in blood pressure caused by stress isn’t necessarily harmful, chronic stress can lead to long-term problems.

When we’re stressed, our sympathetic nervous system is activated, which causes our heart rate to increase and our blood vessels to constrict. This results in an increase in blood pressure. While this response is beneficial if we’re facing a physical threat, it can be harmful if we’re constantly under stress.

Chronic stress can lead to high blood pressure, which puts us at risk for heart disease, stroke, and other health problems.