High blood pressure or hypertension is considered to be a chronic disease because it can cause damage to the blood vessels and also result in heart failure. It is a multifactorial disease, which means that its causes are due to the combined effect of different factors. Some of the factors associated with the development of hypertension are mentioned below:
Smoking: It is known that inhalation of tobacco results in temporary elevation of high blood pressure in the smoker for some particular time span. Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke initiates accumulation of fats in the arteries and also enhances risks of heart attack or stroke.
Overweight: It is also known that people who are obese requires a greater circulation of blood to different parts of their body to satisfy the nutritional needs of the cells and tissues. Eventually, high pressure is exerted on the walls of the arteries.
Lack of physical activity: Inactive lifestyle is a potent cause for the elevation of high blood pressure. Inactivity just initiates the chances that you will become overweight.
Too much salt in the diet: High sodium levels contribute to retention of fluids in the body and also contribute to hypertension.
Too much alcohol consumption: Heavy and regular alcohol consumption can enhance your blood pressure dramatically. It can lead to heart failure, strokes and also production of irregular heartbeats. Moreover, it contributes to high triglycerides, cancer and many more diseases.
Stress: Stress is faced by everyone today. It leads to temporary elevation in the blood pressure. Your body produces a number of hormones when you are under stress. This hormone temporarily enhances your blood pressure and causes your heart to beat faster.
Older age: It is observed that the risk of developing hypertension increases as you age. Hypertension is common in men as compared to women. Men develop high blood pressure after 45 and women are more likely to develop it after 65 years.
In case, you are suffering from high blood pressure, you can take a number of medications including Diovan and Diovan HCT to treat hypertension, heart failure, heart attacks, and stroke.