What is essential hypertension?

Hypertension is a very common physical disease in real life. Suffering from hypertension is very harmful to physical health. It can also cause some cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and easily lead to diseases such as arteriosclerosis. Hypertension is also divided into two types, primary hypertension and secondary hypertension. Generally, primary hypertension is caused by genetic factors or living environment and needs timely treatment.

Causes

It is currently believed that essential hypertension is a multifactorial disease caused by the interaction of certain congenital genetic genes with many pathogenic pressure-increasing factors and physiological pressure-reducing factors. These factors mainly include:

1. Genetic factors

Essential hypertension is a polygenic hereditary disease. Epidemiological surveys have found that the prevalence of hypertension in the twin children of patients with hypertension is significantly increased, especially in monozygotic twins; if both parents have hypertension, the probability of their children suffering from hypertension is as high as 45%. On the contrary, if both parents have normal blood pressure, the probability of their children suffering from hypertension is only 3%.

2. High sodium, low potassium diet

Among the population, sodium salt (sodium chloride) intake is positively correlated with blood pressure levels and the prevalence of hypertension, while potassium salt intake is negatively correlated with blood pressure levels. The dietary sodium/potassium ratio had an even stronger association with blood pressure. A study of 14 groups of people in my country showed that for every 2 grams increase in dietary sodium intake per day, systolic and diastolic blood pressure increased by 2.0 mmHg and 1.2 mmHg, respectively. A high-sodium, low-potassium diet is one of the main risk factors for the onset of hypertension in most patients in my country.

3. Overweight and obesity

Body fat content is positively correlated with blood pressure levels. The body mass index (BMI) is positively correlated with blood pressure levels in the population. For every 3 kg/m increase in BMI, the risk of developing hypertension within 4 years increases by 50% in men and 57% in women. A summary analysis of follow-up data from 240,000 adults in my country showed that the risk of developing hypertension in those with a BMI ≥ 24 kg/m2 was 3 to 4 times that of those with normal weight. The distribution of body fat is also related to the occurrence of hypertension. The more fat you accumulate in your abdomen, the higher your blood pressure levels. For men with a waist circumference ≥ 90 cm or women with a waist circumference ≥ 85 cm, the risk of developing hypertension is more than 4 times that of those with normal waist circumference.

4. Drinking

Excessive drinking is also a risk factor for the development of hypertension, and the prevalence of hypertension in the population increases with the amount of alcohol consumed. Although blood pressure will drop in a short period of time after drinking a small amount of alcohol, drinking small amounts of alcohol for a long time can cause blood pressure to rise slightly; drinking excessively can cause blood pressure to rise significantly. If you drink an average of more than 3 standard drinks a day (1 standard drink is equivalent to 12 grams of alcohol, about 360 grams of beer, or 100 grams of wine, or 30 grams of liquor), your systolic and diastolic blood pressure will increase by an average of 3.5 mmHg and 2.1 mmHg respectively, and the increase in blood pressure will increase with the amount of alcohol you drink.

5. Mental stress

Long-term mental stress is also a risk factor for the development of hypertension. The prevalence of hypertension increases among people who engage in highly mentally stressful work for a long time.

6. Other risk factors

Other risk factors for hypertension include age and lack of physical activity. In addition to hypertension, risk factors for cardiovascular disease also include smoking, dyslipidemia, diabetes, obesity, etc.