What are the causes of high blood pressure? The cardiovascular system adapts flexibly to different requirements – for example, heart activity and thus pulse rate and blood pressure change under physical stress. Fluctuations in the daily routine are also normal – with blood pressure peaks in the morning and late afternoon and low blood pressure at midday and at night.
To ensure that this functions smoothly, there is a complex regulatory system that is controlled primarily by hormones. The kidney is particularly important in regulating water balance and blood pressure. The regulatory system can be disturbed by various causes, leading to constantly elevated blood pressure levels or severe blood pressure fluctuations.
Hypertension: causes determine form
Depending on the causes, two forms of hypertension are distinguished – primary (also: essential) hypertension and secondary hypertension; in addition, there are special forms in which temporary causes are present:
- Primary hypertension (80-90%): here, certain hereditary factors as causes lead to the fact that with increasing age the elasticity of the vessels decreases. As a result, the heart has to pump more, i.e. build up a higher blood pressure. In addition to the genes, a number of other risk factors play a role in this form of heart disease. Especially unhealthy diet, obesity, stress, alcohol, smoking, diabetes, as well as lipid metabolism disorders are possible causes.
- Secondary hypertension (10-20%): here organ disorders are considered causes of hypertension. These include abnormalities of the cardiovascular system (for example, congenital heart defects such as aortic coarctation), diseases of the kidneys that lead to their reduced blood flow (for example, renal artery stenosis) and disorders of the endocrine system (for example, hyperthyroidism, hormone-forming tumors).
- Special forms: In gestational hypertension, hypertension occurs only temporarily during pregnancy. The causes of drug-induced hypertension are certain drugs; the high blood pressure usually disappears after their discontinuation (especially with: pill, rheumatism drugs, antidepressants, cortisone drugs).
