Many people in Germany suffer from high blood pressure, a dangerous cardiovascular disease. Permanently high blood pressure can cause various secondary diseases such as a stroke or heart attack. But how does high blood pressure develop and how can it be prevented? We explain the 8 causes of hypertension.
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What is high blood pressure?
When measuring blood pressure, two values are measured: both the pressure in the vessels when the heart contracts (systolic blood pressure) and the pressure when the heart muscle relaxes (diastolic blood pressure). When the systolic blood pressure is over 140 and the diastolic blood pressure is over 90, it is called high blood pressure (hypertension). High blood pressure can be caused by a variety of factors – some you can influence, others not. For example, the predisposition to high blood pressure can be genetic or caused by other pre-existing conditions such as an overactive thyroid. But causes that we have in our own hands, such as an unhealthy lifestyle, can also cause hypertension. As a rule, those affected do not feel the increased blood pressure, which makes the disease all the more dangerous:
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High blood pressure: 8 causes of hypertension
1. Lack of exercise
In addition to a balanced, nutritious diet, the basis for a healthy body is sufficient sport and exercise. Endurance sports such as jogging or cycling in particular have a positive effect on our cardiovascular system: They dilate the vessels and make them elastic. At the same time, cardio training counteracts stress, which in turn is a risk factor for high blood pressure. A lack of exercise, on the other hand, promotes hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis), which in turn has a negative effect on the flow properties of the blood and can thus promote high blood pressure.
2. High salt consumption
If you eat too much salt, you should reduce your salt consumption, as this can be a cause of high blood pressure. High salt consumption damages the heart and blood vessels and can stimulate appetite. The latter promotes obesity, which in turn is a risk factor for high blood pressure. The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) therefore recommends not consuming more than 5 grams of salt per day. But beware: this is not just about the salt we use to season our meals. Salt is hidden in many finished foods that we eat every day – whether in bread, sausage, ready-made sauces, cheese or even sweet baked goods.
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3. Stress
If you are constantly stressed both at work and at home, you should definitely change your lifestyle. Long-term stress is harmful to your health: Among other things, it weakens the immune system or promotes inflammation in the body. But stress can also have a negative effect on the cardiovascular system : just like physical exertion, feelings such as fear, excitement or anger can damage the heart and blood vessels and thus increase blood pressure. Yoga or meditation, for example, can help relieve stress.
4. Overweight
Weight also plays a major role in our health. Both the wrong diet and the resulting obesity damage our vessels and can thus cause high blood pressure: the elasticity of the vessels decreases and the kidneys, which are involved in regulating blood pressure, release messenger substances. For every 10 kilograms of body weight, blood pressure can drop by around 12:8 mmHg. Belly fat, also known as visceral fat, is said to be particularly dangerous.
5. Alcohol consumption
A beer after work here and a glass of wine there with friends – anyone who drinks alcohol regularly , and possibly even in large quantities, damages their cardiovascular system and promotes the development of high blood pressure. Alcohol causes the heart to beat faster and pumps more blood to the body. This increases the pressure on the vessels, which can damage them in the long term. So make sure that you don’t drink alcohol too often and only in small amounts.
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6. Smoking
Smoking is unhealthy and damages the lungs – most people know that. Smoking is also considered a risk factor for high blood pressure. The reason? Cigarette consumption increases the heartbeat and constricts the blood vessels. As a result, the heart has to pump faster and harder, and blood pressure rises.
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7. Sleep Apnea Syndrome
What many people don’t know: Sleep apnea syndrome not only affects the quality of life of those affected, if left untreated, the disease can even promote the development of high blood pressure. Poor sleep quality and repeated oxygen drops stress our body, causing adrenaline to be released, which in turn increases heart rate and blood pressure. In the long term, this increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.
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8. High-fat diet
Not only increased salt consumption is considered a risk factor for high blood pressure, but also an unhealthy, high-fat diet. Those who consume large amounts of unhealthy saturated fatty acids, the so-called trans fats, damage their blood vessels. Because these increase the value of the “bad” LDL cholesterol in the blood, which in turn increases blood pressure and can lead to high blood pressure in the long term. Trans fats are contained, for example, in fast food such as pizza or burgers, ready meals, chips or baked goods such as croissants.
