Some Risk Factors Are Reversible, and Some Aren"t
Updated June 06, 2014.
Written or reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Board.
Do you have risk factors for the development of high blood pressure? Are you at risk for developing high blood pressure? Understanding your risk is not just important from a health standpoint, but it also may become important from an insurance standpoint.
Opinion: While I cannot predict the future, several people have told me that they have been on the receiving end of questionnaires from their insurance companies concerning their risk factors for certain conditions (ie, high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease) as well as their "health behavior and lifestyle choices." So this post has a very practical aspect as well.
What are risk factors for the development of high blood pressure?
There certain "modifiable" risk factors and "nonmodifiable" risk factors. In this post we focus on the non-modifiable risk factors. These are not only risk factors not only for high blood pressure, but also heart disease as well.
Two big non-modifiable risk factors are age and family history.
Concerning Age: In Western countries, as we get older our blood pressure does increase. This is due to more arteriosclerosis which causes the blood vessels to lose their elasticity and flexibility. This is primarily due to endothelial dysfunction. As mentioned in a prior post, this phenomenon is more commonly seen industrialized countries. In other less industrialized countries whose residents consume a more plant based diet, the opposite effect is seen; there is, in fact, a lowering of blood pressure values as one gets older.
A Note About Age and High Blood Pressure: What I am referring to here is a gradual increase in blood pressure as one gets older. If you experience a sudden and dramatic increase in your blood pressure from what your baseline blood pressure had been, this is not part of the "aging process." You need to call your physician as you may need to be evaluated for "resistant hypertension."
Concerning Family History: Family History is a strong risk factor for the development of high blood pressure. Odds are that if multiple members of your family have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, then you risk is increased. There is a strong genetic component to the development of high blood pressure.
If you have a family history of family members who have high blood pressure that is difficult to control, especially beginning at a young age (ie, in their teens, twenties, and even early 30s, this may be a sign of a specific inherited and/or specific high blood pressure related syndrome that needs to be further investigated.
African Americans have a significant propensity for the development of high blood pressure, especially in a younger age. There may also be a genetic predisposition for the development of not only high blood pressure but an increased risk towards the development of end stage kidney disease. Opinion: Blood pressure measurements need to be done more frequently in our younger population, especially those either diagnosed or at higher risk for the development of high blood pressure.
Concerning Gender: The basic trends are that up until around the age of forty men usually have a higher blood pressure than women. Women may develop higher blood pressures than men after the age of fifty. This is a common effect post menopause. From ages forty to fifty, men and women are thought to have equivocal blood pressure readings.
Written or reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Board.
Do you have risk factors for the development of high blood pressure? Are you at risk for developing high blood pressure? Understanding your risk is not just important from a health standpoint, but it also may become important from an insurance standpoint.
Opinion: While I cannot predict the future, several people have told me that they have been on the receiving end of questionnaires from their insurance companies concerning their risk factors for certain conditions (ie, high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease) as well as their "health behavior and lifestyle choices." So this post has a very practical aspect as well.
What are risk factors for the development of high blood pressure?
There certain "modifiable" risk factors and "nonmodifiable" risk factors. In this post we focus on the non-modifiable risk factors. These are not only risk factors not only for high blood pressure, but also heart disease as well.
Two big non-modifiable risk factors are age and family history.
Concerning Age: In Western countries, as we get older our blood pressure does increase. This is due to more arteriosclerosis which causes the blood vessels to lose their elasticity and flexibility. This is primarily due to endothelial dysfunction. As mentioned in a prior post, this phenomenon is more commonly seen industrialized countries. In other less industrialized countries whose residents consume a more plant based diet, the opposite effect is seen; there is, in fact, a lowering of blood pressure values as one gets older.
A Note About Age and High Blood Pressure: What I am referring to here is a gradual increase in blood pressure as one gets older. If you experience a sudden and dramatic increase in your blood pressure from what your baseline blood pressure had been, this is not part of the "aging process." You need to call your physician as you may need to be evaluated for "resistant hypertension."
Concerning Family History: Family History is a strong risk factor for the development of high blood pressure. Odds are that if multiple members of your family have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, then you risk is increased. There is a strong genetic component to the development of high blood pressure.
If you have a family history of family members who have high blood pressure that is difficult to control, especially beginning at a young age (ie, in their teens, twenties, and even early 30s, this may be a sign of a specific inherited and/or specific high blood pressure related syndrome that needs to be further investigated.
African Americans have a significant propensity for the development of high blood pressure, especially in a younger age. There may also be a genetic predisposition for the development of not only high blood pressure but an increased risk towards the development of end stage kidney disease. Opinion: Blood pressure measurements need to be done more frequently in our younger population, especially those either diagnosed or at higher risk for the development of high blood pressure.
Concerning Gender: The basic trends are that up until around the age of forty men usually have a higher blood pressure than women. Women may develop higher blood pressures than men after the age of fifty. This is a common effect post menopause. From ages forty to fifty, men and women are thought to have equivocal blood pressure readings.