High blood pressure is also known as hypertension.
The cause of hypertension is not specifically known but it is attributed to genetics, the environment, and other factors.
Other factors can include your diet and your weight.
Salt intake is key to high blood pressure.
The salt you use in foods and the rest of your diet lead over time for you to develop hypertension.
If you are used to adding extra salt to your food, it is recommended that you use less salt or try substitutes for it.
Age is also a factor in developing hypertension.
Your arteries narrow and your kidneys are not as effective as they used to be when you were younger.
Due to the narrowing of the arteries, you develop high blood pressure.
Also with your kidneys not working as efficiently as they used to before, your blood doesn't get as cleansed as it used to.
As you age, you should go to your doctor and have your blood pressure checked.
Have your doctor compare your blood pressure reading with readings from the past and see if it has been increasing.
Early detection is key to preventing premature death caused by hypertension.
Genetics is also a cause of hypertension.
It's an illness that runs in the family and it can be inherited.
It is believed that 30% of the people diagnosed with hypertension have inherited hypertension due to their genetics.
However, changes in your lifestyle can keep high blood pressure at bay or have it not affect you at all.
Obesity is a major player of hypertension as well.
Doctors often diagnose people that are overweight with hypertension.
It is believed that people who are overweight compress on the kidneys and don't let the kidneys function properly.