Michael Ihemaguba is a family physician who sees a lot of patients on a daily basis. Michael Ihemaguba checks his patients’ blood pressure numbers to make sure they are within normal range as part of his routine. High blood pressure brings on health complications, and some factors put individuals at risk for developing hypertension.
Physical factors
They include:
- Genetics
If you have close family members or relatives who’ve dealt with high blood pressure, there’s a chance you might deal with it, too.
- Gender
Men are more likely to develop high blood pressure before the age of forty-five, after which both males and females can develop at almost similar rates. Beyond the age of sixty-five, women have higher incidence rates.
- Age
As you age, hypertension becomes a real possibility. The elastic quality of our blood vessels reduces, which contributes to increased pressure.
Environmental risk factors
Unlike physical traits that are part of you, other factors within your living environment can impact your chances of developing high blood pressure.
- Physical inactivity
Being physically inactive puts you at a greater risk of hypertension. Regular exercise gets the blood moving and strengthens your cardiovascular system.
- Unhealthy diet
Eating food high in sodium content, sugar and saturated fat is bad for your blood pressure and health in general.
- Alcohol and tobacco overuse
Heavy use of alcohol and tobacco can cause an increase in your blood pressure, which leads to damaged arteries. Use of these two substances also enhances the risk of developing cancer.
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