New research is showing that there are more causes for high blood pressure than previously thought, and some of these causes for high blood pressure are not generally talked about or implicated as the cause for the condition. More people are being diagnosed every year with high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease is now listed as one of the top causes of death in the United States. High blood pressure can cause significant damage to parts of your body besides your heart, and we mostly think of fat people or people with diabetes or other conditions as the group that likely has high blood pressure. The new research is showing that there are 6 other lesser known causes of high blood pressure that you need to be aware of, which can help you take precautions that can protect you somewhat against getting this potentially fatal disease.
Medications- Researchers have been analyzing data and have found out that there are medications out there which can cause you to end up with high blood pressure. The interesting part is that some of the medications that can actually cause you to get high blood pressure are not even associated with the heart, and they are medications that researchers previously did not know could cause these types of issues. When it comes to newly found research that shows certain medications causing high blood pressure, doctors then have to begin weighing the potential risk of high blood pressure with the benefits of the medication, and the patient also should be involved in the conversation. If you are taking a medication that is not needed for you to function, such as a life-saving medication, then you basically have to think about whether you are getting enough positive out of the drug to continue using it with the risk of developing high blood pressure later on. Some of the medications that researchers have found that cause high blood pressure includes birth control pills, Tylenol, Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory drugs, such as Naproxen, and also various decongestant medications that are over the counter. If you notice that your blood pressure seems to be increasing then you need to take a look at the medications you are taking to see if they could be the cause. You can talk to your doctor to figure out of the high blood pressure is anything to worry about and what medication options you have.
Lack of Proper Nutrition- Researchers have also found that lack of proper nutrition, which is basically when you have a deficiency in your diet, can also cause high blood pressure. You can get high blood pressure by not getting enough magnesium, calcium or potassium in your diet. In terms of your diet, your body needs a lot of specific nutrients to run 100 percent, and a lot of people do not get these nutrients needed on a daily basis. People who are not eating a healthy diet are the most at risk for developing high blood pressure because their body is lacking the needed nutrients, and it also hinders the ability of your cells to repair properly.
Herbal Supplements- One surprising thing that can cause high blood pressure are supplements that you can get over the counter, such as St. John’s Wort. You have to be careful with supplements because a lot of them are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, which means that often times all of the ingredients are not listed on the supplement package. When it comes to supplements, it is not typically one ingredient that causes high blood pressure, but instead it is the combination of all the different ingredients found in the supplements that is the issue. Another popular supplement that can cause high blood pressure is Ginseng, which is a very commonly used supplement. People who take herbal supplements need to be aware of the many side effects that can happen as a result of taking the pills, and often times these side effects can cause severe medical issues. You should always talk to your doctor before you decide to take supplements, especially if you are on other medications, and if you feel negative or adverse effects of supplements, then you should stop using them immediately.
Thyroid Diseases– Researchers have also shown that thyroid diseases can also be a contributing factor to developing high blood pressure. Adrenal diseases are also commonly associated with high blood pressure, but a lot of times thyroid and adrenal diseases are not diagnosed until it progresses due to people often not having symptoms. Your adrenal glands are important because they control your hormones, and if the hormones become too much or too little, your blood pressure can go up significantly. The stress hormone is one of the many hormones that the adrenal gland controls, so you need to have a balance of hormones so that your body does not get out of whack and begin producing too much of any hormone. When thyroid issues occur, this can lead to serious problems due to the hormone malfunction and might be a cause of your high blood pressure, but other diseases can develop from this as well. If you have high blood pressure it is important you get tests done on your adrenal glands and your thyroid to rule out any diseases that might be the source of the problem.
Sleep Deprivation– Sleep deprivation has also recently been shown to be a cause of high blood pressure, and it’s especially risky if you are sleeping less than five hours a night. Sleeping helps regulate hormones and reduces stress levels in the body, so when you are deprived of that you could get health complications. Sleeping between five and six hours a night can lead to an increased risk of high blood pressure or a worsening of existent high blood pressure. If you are sleeping less than the five hours a night then you are really increasing your risk at developing high blood pressure. You should get about seven hours of sleep a night to keep your hormone levels regulated which will reduce stress and other health concerns. Sleeping controls a lot of important things in the nervous system so it is only going to increase your risk of health problems if you are sleep deprived or just do not get enough sleep.
Drinking Alcohol- Alcohol can also be a contributing factor and cause of your high blood pressure and can lead to severe health complications. Alcohol does decrease the effectiveness of various medications, which can actually be deadly if you are taking life-saving medications, such as those that are used to treat high blood pressure. Not only can alcohol render high blood pressure medication ineffective, but alcohol also can cause your blood pressure to go up, which then causes potentially life-threatening situations and symptoms. Now, if you drink one beer you are not going to have an increase in your blood pressure, but when you start to drink a lot of beers in one night or drink other alcoholic beverages excessively, then that is when there becomes a problem. College students actually are the group that tends to drink excessively, so it’s important college-aged kids be aware that the drinking they are doing now can contribute to the high blood pressure diagnosis later on in their life. Alcohol is called “empty calories” because most drinks contain high calories but no real substance, and the high calories leads to other health problems such as weight gain, and then the bigger you are the higher your risk becomes of having high blood pressure. Although drinking is okay if it is done moderately, drinking too much can really increase your blood pressure. Drinking also can be dangerous when combined with other common medications which also might cause your high blood pressure.
