High Blood Pressure - Hypertension - Risk Factors
Last Updated on Monday, 19 October 2009 10:57
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High Blood Pressure Risk Factors
Hypertension increases stress on several vital organs of your body (called target organs). It increases your chance of developing heart disease (heart attack, heart failure, stroke etc), diabetes, kidney trouble, eye complications etc. It is estimated that reducing blood pressure by 6 mm Hg reduces your risk of developing a stroke by 35–40% and heart disease by 20–25%.
The most fundamental thing to save your vital organs is to identify the risk factors that lead to hypertension.
Risk factors that you can prevent / change
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Excess alcohol
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Smoking
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Sedentary lifestyle (lack of physical activity).
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Obesity
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Unhealthy diet: excessive fat, excessive salt, low fiber and high calorie food intake
Risk factors that may be treatable
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High cholesterol levels
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High triglyceride (fat) levels
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Presence of diabetes
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Presence of any kidney diseases Hypertension itself
Risk factors that are fixed
- Age
- A strong family history: If your parents or close blood relatives have hypertension or heart disease then you're at risk
- Gender: Males are more prone compared to females Early menopause in women.
- Ethnic group: In the UK, if your ancestry is from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, or Sri Lanka, you are in the risk group.
