Real Reasons For Hypertension
-Coronary Artery Disease. Coronary artery disease can occur when plaque and calcium build up within the arteries gets severe. With enough build up it can cause the artery passage ways to become narrow. The medical term for this is called atherosclerosis. In response to this your body often makes the heart pump harder, that way it can maintain the proper amount of blood flow. This in turn can cause a rise in blood pressure. Often times the rise in blood pressure is what prompts the issue to be investigated, because the disease itself may have little to no symptoms. Usually if someone does show symptoms, the most common ones are fatigue, getting out of breath quickly, chest pain with exertion, and in severe cases blue colored lips. Coronary artery disease can be determined by a few different testing methods.
The easiest and least invasive way would be to have a doctor perform an EKG. Although an EKG won’t be able to tell if you have mildly clogged arteries, it will show if a blockage is severe and needs immediate medical attention.
A more comprehensive method would be a calcium score test. A calcium score test takes multiple images of your heart and arteries and is able to see the extent of the coronary artery disease you may have.
An angiogram is thought to be the most accurate way to see the extent of coronary artery disease, however it is also the most invasive out of all the testing procedures. During an angiogram a tube may be placed in one of your arteries, sometimes in the groin area, and dye is injected into your blood stream. The dye can help show the extent of coronary artery disease because the images taken can then see exactly where there is an issue with hindered blood flow. This procedure is normally done with the patient being somewhat sedated. It is important to note that angiograms are usually only done when a serious issue is thought to be present. There can be risks associated with this procedure.
-Adrenal Gland Issues. The adrenal glands are responsible for producing a few different types of hormones. And many of these hormones help regulate blood pressure. There are three of these hormones that can really have a big impact on blood pressure, and they are adrenaline, aldosterone, and cortisol. All three of these hormones can be produced in too high quantities when the body is stressed. However there may be a real issue with your adrenal glands that could be causing these hormonal imbalances. There could be a tumor present on any section of the gland, you could have an autoimmune disease, or you could have been simply born with a hormonal imbalance that may have not shown any signs or symptoms up until now. There is also a condition called primary aldosteronism, which can cause excessive aldosterone production. Blood and urine tests can be used to measure the hormone levels within a patients blood stream, this will help determine if an adrenal gland issue may be present.
-Sleep Apnea. Sleep Apnea is a condition where you do not breath correctly while you are sleeping. It is usually caused by a partial obstruction in your airway. One of the most common signs of sleep apnea is snoring. When sleep apnea occurs, it can hinder the amount you are able to breath during your slumber, which in turn can make your heart have to work harder to pump more blood to all the cells in your body. Your heart does this to keep the oxygen levels in the cells optimal, and since the oxygen levels are hindered in someone who has sleep apnea, the cells require more blood. This condition is being recognized more and more in modern medicine. It should be noted that a common sign of sleep apnea is chronic fatigue. To be tested for sleep apnea you will most likely be sent to a facility where they can monitor your sleep for the night. They have special machines which will be able to tell if you have periodically stopped breathing during the night. Thankfully the fix for sleep apnea is relatively simple, you can use a CPAP machine or a BIPAP machine. Most of these machines are made by the company ResMed and are usually covered by most health insurance providers. Keep in mind that some blood pressure medications may actually be causing your sleep apnea, especially calcium channel blockers.
-Medications And Drugs. Many people may think the only drugs which can cause high blood pressure are strong prescription ones like amphetamines, but the truth is common over the counter medications can cause a rise in blood pressure as well. Drugs like NSAIDs pain relievers (Advil and Aleve) can cause an increase in blood pressure. They do this because they can hinder the function of the kidneys. Just a side note, this does not mean Tylenol is better, Tylenol can cause liver damage. Decongestant allergy medications can also raise blood pressure. And pretty much every stimulant, whether over the counter or prescription, can raise blood pressure. Two of the worst for example is cocaine and Adderall. Those two are obviously harmful substances, but there may be a medication you don’t expect raising your blood pressure, and it could be something thought to be commonly well tolerated like cough syrup. Birth control pills and alcohol also raise blood pressure. It is important to do extensive research on any drug or medication you may be taking, because prolonged high blood pressure from medication can have just as negative effects on the body as having hypertension for any other reason.
-Chronic Stress Or Anxiety. Stress and anxiety can trigger the fight or flight response in your body to be in affect far too often. If a stressful situation arises, the body responds by producing more adrenaline and getting ready to take on whatever may be coming. And this is a perfectly normal response. But for people who suffer from panic disorder or anxiety disorders, they can be feeling extreme stress on a regular basis with no trigger present. Also people who are chronically stressed from their job or any other reason, fit into this category. Because whatever the reason may be, that constant surge in adrenaline and panic can cause blood pressure to rise. And if this occurs on a regular basis your blood pressure can be elevated for some time after the stressful situation was resolved, or if you had a panic attack the same theory applies. With that being said, it is important to note that panic disorders and anxiety attacks without a trigger usually do not cause sustained high blood pressure. They usually cause blood pressure to be elevated when the symptoms are present, and when they are not resting blood pressure may be normal. Where as chronic stress from actual stressful situations may cause blood pressure to be elevated even when stress is not present. And the reality for people who suffer from this is if the stress stopped, the blood pressure would be lower. That is why some doctors may recommend a patient retire early if they have hypertension from career related stress.
Point of the story, do not mistake anxiety/stress blood pressure for real high blood pressure. If you go to the doctor and are stressed, your blood pressure reading will be too high. Blood pressure should be checked on multiple occasions in order to make an educated decision on what to do. This way you can avoid taking drugs in an attempt to treat a condition you may not really have.
-Pituitary Gland Disorders. The pituitary gland has a lot of responsibilities. It performs a lot of tasks that we may take for granted. It mainly helps regulate hormones. If you have a pituitary gland disorder or tumor, it can cause a hormonal imbalance. This in turn can raise blood pressure just like an adrenal gland disorder can. Thankfully these disorders are not very common. The famous WWF wrestler Andre the giant had a pituitary disorder called gigantism. Gigantism is when the gland continues to produce more and more growth hormone at an accelerated rate. The most common tests to determine a pituitary gland disorder are MRIs of the brain, blood and urine tests, and vision tests.
-Kidney Issues. The kidneys are responsible for filtering blood. And in some patients, the renal output from the kidneys can be hindered. This can cause blood pressure to be elevated. Kidney problems are often more common in patients with diabetes. Diagnosing kidney issues can be done through blood tests or imaging tests.
-Liver Damage. The liver has many functions in the body, from filtering toxins we eat or drink, to extracting the vitamins and minerals from food we eat and secreting them into our blood streams. The liver produces a chemical which is found in the renal system, which controls blood pressure. And the liver is also responsible for filtering blood just like the kidneys, so with hindered functionality blood cannot be properly regulated. When liver damage is present for a long period of time, the liver can start to create more blood vessels in an attempt to divert the blood away from the main channel which is under higher pressure. This is an amazing feature, and the liver should not be taken for granted. There are thought to be even more reasons why the liver is responsible for regulating blood pressure, especially since hypertension is very common amongst heavy alcohol drinkers. Medical studies are still being done to find all the exact connections between the liver and blood pressure regulation.
-Obesity. The average American does not get enough exercise. Over an extended period of time this leads to obesity. Because of the extra mass an obese person is carrying around, the heart has to work harder to pump more blood through that area. It is important to note that a lack of exercise alone may lead to hypertension, so obesity mixed together with a sedentary lifestyle is certainly a recipe for high blood pressure.
-Poor diet. A typical western diet high in salt and preservatives can cause high blood pressure. Also a diet high in saturated fat, which can raise cholesterol, can attribute to high blood pressure. Under extreme hypertension circumstances a plant based diet can be implemented to reduce the risk of heart disease and heart failure. It is important to note that a diet change can take up to 2 or 3 weeks to have a positive effect on blood pressure.