Modern lifestyles are responsible for people not taking proper care of their hearts. The problems related to blood pressure are common occurrences for most of the middle-aged people, and it's threatening to take over the young population as well. Blood pressure is, primarily, the pressure that blood exerts on the walls of the arteries, which carry the oxygenated blood from the heart to the various parts of the body. A device named sphygmomanometer is used to measure blood pressure. When a doctor tells you your blood pressure reading is 120/80, it simply means that your systolic pressure is 120 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury) and diastolic pressure is 80 mm Hg. The pressure exerted on the arteries when the heart contracts is called systolic pressure, and the pressure exerted when the heart relaxes is called diastolic pressure. Let us understand in more detail what causes high diastolic blood pressure.
High Diastolic Blood Pressure
If your diastolic blood pressure reading rises above 80 mm Hg, in the range of about 80 - 89 mm Hg, you are in the pre-hypertension phase. If you don't take the requisite steps to lower your blood pressure, you can certainly suffer from hypertension. Any reading for diastolic blood pressure above 90 mm Hg is a huge cause for worry. This reading denotes that you have high diastolic blood pressure. Following are the various causes of high diastolic blood pressure readings.
Reasons for High Diastolic Blood Pressure
Obesity
Obesity is the main cause of hypertension, similar to it being a cause for many other diseases. A narrowing of the arteries takes place due the small fatty lumps that develop inside the lining of the arteries. As the space for blood flow is diminished, it exerts more pressure on the artery walls. Obesity is seen due to consumption of fatty and high-cholesterol foods like fast food, chips, burgers, candy bars, sodas, etc., or a diet containing high amounts of sodium.
Sedentary Lifestyle
Another major cause is irregular or complete absence of physical activity. Couch potatoes are most likely to develop high diastolic blood pressure problem. If there is no physical exercise, the blood circulation will be affected by a great deal, leading to lack of proper metabolism and dangerous heart condition of arteriosclerosis, which is the primary cause of a heart attack. Most of the times, sedentary lifestyle and obesity go hand in hand.
Addictive Habits
If you do a research on any heart problem, you will find smoking and alcohol are the major causes of most of them, and doctors recommend to get rid of these habits immediately. Smoking causes constriction of air passages and adversely impacts the blood-oxygenation process in the heart. Due to inadequate supply of oxygenated blood, pressure is exerted on the blood vessels. On the other hand, alcohol weakens the heart muscles and prevents them from pumping efficiently, thus leading to stress on the blood vessels.
Aging
Individuals in the age group of 60 - 75 are prone to high diastolic blood pressure more than the any other age group. An aging body invariably means an aging heart. The heart muscles become weak as one grows old. The blood pumping capacity decreases gradually, meaning increased pressure on the blood vessels to supply blood.
Diseases
Diseases like diabetes, renal artery stenosis, renal parenchymal disease and polycystic kidney disease, are major causes for high blood pressure. Kidney diseases affect the production of an enzyme called renin, secreted by the kidney, which regulates the body's mean arterial blood pressure. Any adverse effect on this enzyme's production hampers the regulation of blood pressure.
Genetic Factors
Various genes regulate the hormone system known as the angiotensin-renin-aldosterone system, which influences sodium, water balance and blood vessel contraction. If there is an inherent problem in these genes, it leads to high blood pressure. So, your family disease history plays a major role in predicting whether you will suffer from hypertension.
Medications
Self-prescribed medications, also called over-the-counter drugs, can increase blood pressure or even worsen the existing condition. Oral contraceptives, corticosteroids, non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), cold medicine decongestants, etc., can be responsible for hypertension. All these medications must be taken on a doctor's prescription only.
In the US, every one in three persons suffer from high blood pressure. Headache, confusion, drowsiness, nausea, and difficulty in breathing, are the major symptoms of high diastolic blood pressure. This information on what causes high diastolic blood pressure can help you to understand the reasons of your symptoms. Remember that no stress or worry is more important than the health of your heart. Simple lifestyle changes, a healthy diet, and exercise, can go a long way in preventing the high diastolic blood pressure problem.
High Diastolic Blood Pressure
If your diastolic blood pressure reading rises above 80 mm Hg, in the range of about 80 - 89 mm Hg, you are in the pre-hypertension phase. If you don't take the requisite steps to lower your blood pressure, you can certainly suffer from hypertension. Any reading for diastolic blood pressure above 90 mm Hg is a huge cause for worry. This reading denotes that you have high diastolic blood pressure. Following are the various causes of high diastolic blood pressure readings.
Reasons for High Diastolic Blood Pressure
Obesity
Obesity is the main cause of hypertension, similar to it being a cause for many other diseases. A narrowing of the arteries takes place due the small fatty lumps that develop inside the lining of the arteries. As the space for blood flow is diminished, it exerts more pressure on the artery walls. Obesity is seen due to consumption of fatty and high-cholesterol foods like fast food, chips, burgers, candy bars, sodas, etc., or a diet containing high amounts of sodium.
Sedentary Lifestyle
Another major cause is irregular or complete absence of physical activity. Couch potatoes are most likely to develop high diastolic blood pressure problem. If there is no physical exercise, the blood circulation will be affected by a great deal, leading to lack of proper metabolism and dangerous heart condition of arteriosclerosis, which is the primary cause of a heart attack. Most of the times, sedentary lifestyle and obesity go hand in hand.
Addictive Habits
If you do a research on any heart problem, you will find smoking and alcohol are the major causes of most of them, and doctors recommend to get rid of these habits immediately. Smoking causes constriction of air passages and adversely impacts the blood-oxygenation process in the heart. Due to inadequate supply of oxygenated blood, pressure is exerted on the blood vessels. On the other hand, alcohol weakens the heart muscles and prevents them from pumping efficiently, thus leading to stress on the blood vessels.
Aging
Individuals in the age group of 60 - 75 are prone to high diastolic blood pressure more than the any other age group. An aging body invariably means an aging heart. The heart muscles become weak as one grows old. The blood pumping capacity decreases gradually, meaning increased pressure on the blood vessels to supply blood.
Diseases
Diseases like diabetes, renal artery stenosis, renal parenchymal disease and polycystic kidney disease, are major causes for high blood pressure. Kidney diseases affect the production of an enzyme called renin, secreted by the kidney, which regulates the body's mean arterial blood pressure. Any adverse effect on this enzyme's production hampers the regulation of blood pressure.
Genetic Factors
Various genes regulate the hormone system known as the angiotensin-renin-aldosterone system, which influences sodium, water balance and blood vessel contraction. If there is an inherent problem in these genes, it leads to high blood pressure. So, your family disease history plays a major role in predicting whether you will suffer from hypertension.
Medications
Self-prescribed medications, also called over-the-counter drugs, can increase blood pressure or even worsen the existing condition. Oral contraceptives, corticosteroids, non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), cold medicine decongestants, etc., can be responsible for hypertension. All these medications must be taken on a doctor's prescription only.
In the US, every one in three persons suffer from high blood pressure. Headache, confusion, drowsiness, nausea, and difficulty in breathing, are the major symptoms of high diastolic blood pressure. This information on what causes high diastolic blood pressure can help you to understand the reasons of your symptoms. Remember that no stress or worry is more important than the health of your heart. Simple lifestyle changes, a healthy diet, and exercise, can go a long way in preventing the high diastolic blood pressure problem.
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