To prevent primary hypertension (high blood pressure), attention must be paid to reducing risk factors. Behavioral risk factors
- Diet
- Chronic overeating
- High fat diet (animal fats) – as a cofactor.
- High proportion of saturated fatty acids
- High sugar consumption
- High fat diet (animal fats) – as a cofactor.
- Consumption of red meat, i.e. muscle meat of pork, beef, lamb, veal, mutton, horse, sheep, goat.
- Too low a proportion of complex carbohydrates
- Diet low in fiber
- High intake of sodium and table salt
- Excessive consumption of licorice
- Micronutrient deficiency (vital substances) – see Prevention with micronutrients.
- Chronic overeating
- Consumption of stimulants
- Coffee – In patients aged 18-45 years with stage 1 hypertension, regular coffee consumption increases the risk that blood pressure will continue to rise and require therapy; both heavy (>3 cups/d) and moderate (1-2 cups/d) coffee consumption were found to be prognostic factors for a cardiovascular event such as myocardial infarction (heart attack) or apoplexy (stroke), independent of other risk factors.
- Alcohol (woman: > 20 g/day; man > 30 g/day):
- “Binge drinking” (high consumption of alcoholic beverages on one occasion):
- Among young adults who reported massive alcohol consumption on an irregular basis, namely less than once a week, during adolescence: Odds ratio (OR) 1.23; 95% confidence interval (95-% CI] (1,02; 1,49)
- Intensive alcohol consumption more than once per week: OR 1.64 (1.22, 2.22)
- Alcohol excesses during teenage years and young adulthood: OR 2.43 (1.13; 5.20)
- Moderate alcohol consumption may promote hypertension: average blood pressure at
- Non-drinkers about 109/67 mmHg.
- Moderate drinkers 128/79 mmHg
- Heavy drinkers 153/82 mmHg
- “Binge drinking” (high consumption of alcoholic beverages on one occasion):
- Tobacco (smoking)
- Drug use
- Amphetamines (indirect sympathomimetic) and methamphetamine (“crystal meth”).
- Cannabis (hashish and marijuana).
- Hypertension, palpitations (heart palpitations), tachycardia (heartbeat too fast: > 100 heartbeats/min); myocardial infarction (heart attack): 4.8 times higher risk within one hour after marijuana use.
- All-cause mortality (all-cause death rate) was significantly increased by a factor of 1.29 (95% confidence interval: 1.03-1.61) in participants with hypertension who used marijuana; this is assumed to have been predominantly cerebral insults (cerebral infarction) and complications of hypertensive crises.
- Cocaine
- Physical activity
- Physical inactivity
- Psycho-social situation
- Stress – stressors in everyday life (time pressure – rushing; too short breaks at work; lack of support at work; lack of social support; anger; fear; worry; excitement; noise) competitive situation pressure to perform).
- Overweight (BMI ≥ 25; obesity) – 30% of all primary hypertension is contributory to obesity! In adults, systolic blood pressure increases by about 10 mmHg for a weight gain of 10 kg (diastolic blood pressure increases slightly less).
To prevent secondary hypertension, attention must be paid to reducing risk factors.Environmental pollution – intoxications (poisonings).
- Bisphenol A (BPA) as well as bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol F (BPF).
- Lead – Increase in relative relative risk by 19% with each 15 μg/g increase in lead (RR 1.19; 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.41; p = 0.04); cumulative lead exposure measured at the vertical bone of the tibia is a risk factor for drug-resistant hypertensionNote: A potential source of lead may be drinking water from lead pipes.
- Cadmium
- Particulate matter (PM2.5) and other air pollutants (nitrogen dioxide (NO2))
- Carbon monoxide
- Pesticides (organophosphates)
- Thallium
- Weathering effects:
- Extreme heat
- Extreme cold
- Hot summer
- Severe winters
Other risk factors
- Pregnancy
Prevention factors (protective factors)
- Recreational sports – the more active the recreational sport, the lower the risk of developing hypertension; individuals who participate in more than 4 hours of physical activity per week have approximately a 15% lower risk than individuals who are physically active for less than one hour
- Treatment of periodontitis (inflammation of the dental bed and periodontium) can help reduce blood pressure (improve arterial elasticity).
- Increased consumption of beta-glucans (ß-glucans; polysaccharides composed only of D-glucose molecules; contained in cell walls of fungi and plants, e.g. oats, barley, rye) was associated with lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Secondary prevention
- Avoid physical activity at high altitude (resulting hypoxia/lack of oxygen supply to tissues with exaggerated blood pressure response) because of risk of hypertensive crisis; applies even to mild hypertension
- Alcohol renunciation: those who consume more than 6 glasses of alcohol (12 g of pure alcohol per drink) daily, can lower their blood pressure by limiting their drinking habits (systolic -5.5 mmHg, diastolic -4.0 mmHg).