High Blood Pressure (Arterial Hypertension): Prevention

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
    • 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.
  • 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
    • 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).