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    Factors That Cause High And Low Blood Pressure

    By Irshad Anwar
    22 Mar'23  5 min read
    Factors That Cause High And Low Blood Pressure
    Synopsis

    A lot of young people are being diagnosed as having blood pressure issues. So what is blood pressure? What is diastole vs systole blood pressure? What is hypertension? All this information on the study of blood pressure is given below, keep reading to learn more on this.

    Factors That Cause High And Low Blood Pressure
    Synopsis

    A lot of young people are being diagnosed as having blood pressure issues. So what is blood pressure? What is diastole vs systole blood pressure? What is hypertension? All this information on the study of blood pressure is given below, keep reading to learn more on this.

    Blood – is a body fluid that circulates throughout the body of living organisms and functions in the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the cells across our system. The oxygenated blood, composed of essential nutrients and oxygen, is carried by the arteries, while the veins carry the deoxygenated blood. This circulating fluid exerts a certain pressure on the walls of blood vessels, which is known as blood pressure (BP). This pressure varies throughout the day in response to various activities, but extreme deviations from the ideal range can have fatal consequences.

    What Is Systolic And Diastolic Pressure?

    Systolic and diastolic are the two blood pressure numbers where the former is measured when the heart beats while the latter is measured when the heart rests (between two heartbeats). The blood pressure is at its highest during the systolic phase and at its lowest in the diastolic phase. The optimum blood pressure in humans is 120/80 mmHg, where 120 systolic and 80 diastolic can be read as “120 over 80”.

    A drastic fluctuation from normal blood pressure can induce various symptoms and medical conditions. High BP or hypertension, can be diagnosed if the BP is consistently more than 140/90 mmHg. Hypotension or low BP can occur when the BP drops below 90/60 mmHg, and both of these conditions can trigger a chain of health problems.

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    Factors Affecting Blood Pressure

    Hypertension

    There are numerous factors that can lead to hypertension, some of which are listed below:

    • Unhealthy Lifestyle: A regular diet of junk food, no physical activity, a sedentary lifestyle all give rise to lifestyle issues like obesity, high BP, heart problems, and more. Junk or processed food has high levels of sodium, potassium, and other ingredients that interfere with the biological system leading to disrupted homeostasis.

    • Genetic Factors: Body type, age, gender, family history, and generation lifestyle can also contribute to developing high BP. A family history of obesity, diabetes, or heart issues is most likely seen in the progeny and increases the risk factors of BP.

    What Is Primary And Secondary Hypertension?

    When BP fluctuation is not easily identifiable and generally develops over time, it is known as primary hypertension. An example is the plaque buildup in the arteries, which gradually narrows the blood passageway and increases the risk of high blood pressure.

    On the other hand, secondary hypertension arises due to underlying medical conditions like thyroid issues, kidney problems, consumption of drugs, obstructive sleep apnea, and more. This condition causes a higher blood pressure than primary hypertension.

    Let’s elaborate on some factors:

    1. Obesity: Being overweight poses a major risk of hypertension because the individual can undergo major blood vessel changes due to excess weight. This exerts greater blood pressure than normal. Along with this, cholesterol levels are also observed as beyond normal in obese people which can worsen hypertension.

    1. Sodium: Sodium can cause high BP when present in excess. It is because this chemical has the ability to retain or attract water. Due to this, higher amounts of sodium in the blood will increase water retention and thus the blood volume. As a result, higher blood volume will raise the pressure on the arterial walls thus causing hypertension. Major sodium intake is via salt and hence, its intake must be strictly monitored. Our body regulates the sodium concentration by inducing some pathways to restabilise the homeostasis of the body. Excess sodium elimination occurs in the body via sweat, urine, and even stools.

    2. Carbohydrates: Glucose is the simplest carbohydrate needed by the body as a fuel for biological processes. The liver manages the glucose concentration in the blood as it forms and stores glycogen during high blood sugar while it breaks the stored glycogen into glucose during low blood sugar. However, glucose cannot be easily eliminated or regulated like sodium and can cause higher risks of hypertension. As sodium and glucose both attract or retain water, water retention may be a sign of a higher carbohydrate intake. When the cells absorb glucose, they also take in water molecules, which causes the cell size to increase. Due to this phenomenon, the cells surrounding the blood vessels will also increase in size, thus putting pressure on the vessels and reducing their diameter. Narrowing of the blood vessels will raise the blood flow thus causing hypertension.

    3. Peripheral Vascular Resistance: Compliance or expansion of any compartment to adjust increased content does not increase the resistance or blood pressure. But, if the blood vessels are damaged or the blood vessels do not comply due to stiffness, then the blood pressure will increase within the vessels. Therefore, the elasticity of the blood vessels is a vital characteristic in managing blood pressure.

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    Complications Or Medical Conditions Due To Altered BP

    • Higher blood flow in the arteries will damage the walls in the long run due to which the blood vessels and other organs will be damaged eventually.
    • A higher blood supply to the heart will increase its functioning which can lead to heart attack or stroke.
    • Bulging and weakening of the blood vessels (aneurysm) can also occur due to hypertension. Rupture of the aneurysm can be fatal.
    • Due to damaged blood vessels, the overall circulation will be affected thus causing various problems like kidney failure, eye problems, metabolic disorders, dementia due to limited blood flow to the brain, and more.

    Hypotension

    Low blood pressure is less common and arises when the blood flow in the blood vessels is poorer than optimal levels. This can occur due to multiple reasons like dehydration leading to low blood volume, lack of nutrients, poor heart functioning due to underlying medical conditions, and more. Some medications and infections can also slow down the blood flow thus dropping blood pressure. Although hypotension is less prevalent, it can be life-threatening as it decreases the oxygen flow to various body parts.

    So, it can be concluded that maintaining optimal blood pressure is critical as hypertension and hypotension can cause minor as well as fatal effects on the body. Regulating nutrition, body movements, and improving the lifestyle can help to keep blood pressure in control.

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