CAUSES OF HYPERTENSION
For most people the exact cause of their high blood pressure is unknown. It
may be a combination of factors. It tends to run in families and some doctors
believe that a high salt intake could be the cause, but this is not proven.
For a minority of sufferers, high blood pressure is a result of something
else that is usually treatable. These include kidney problems, some drugs e.g.
steroids or the oral contraceptive pill and substances containing liquorice
e.g. sweets and antacids.
High blood pressure is often associated with other factors
Several conditions have been found to be related to high blood pressure:
- Being overweight - especially in children.
- Snoring and the disruption of breathing caused by snoring.
- Lack of exercise.
- Large quantities of alcohol.
- Smoking.
Hypertension in pregnancy
Previously healthy women can develop high blood pressure during pregnancy.
More often it is in the second half of pregnancy or immediately after delivery.
The cause is unknown, but it tends to occur more often in first pregnancies and
in women who have a family history of high blood pressure. Young teenage women,
older women and black women are more likely to develop high blood pressure in
pregnancy. Also, if a woman already has high blood pressure it can be made
worse by pregnancy.
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