A Cause Of High Blood Pressure
Must Be Found First
Then a cure can readily follow. But can there be a single cause of high blood pressure? Is it probable or even possible? Read on for some interesting observations and experiences.
First: We have already established on other pages that there are a host of identifiable causes for about 10% of the cases of hypertension. See High Blood Pressure Causes And these for the most part are either curable or can be managed well. So it seems that we should focus our thoughts on that 90% of cases for which no cause has been found. Since there is a cause for everything, it is hidden. First a brief story:
Why Did the Blood Pressure Drop?
Years ago when I first went into private practice and began admitting my patients to the hospital I noticed that their blood pressure would drop, often to normal, after entering the hospital. Yes, even the hypertensive ones would have a very nice drop in blood pressure. Take away their medication and still the pressure would drop to normal. (Normal in those days meant below 140/90). You would think just the opposite would occur, that the stress of being ill enough to require hospitalization would raise one's pressure.
"What is this?" I kept asking myself. Hmmm. No answer. After several years of puzzling over this it finally dawned on me. I was removing these patients from their life and putting them into an environment where they were taken care of and were not responsible for anything. After all, who holds you responsible while you are in the hospital?
Yes, take a person out of their LIFE and their blood pressure frequently drops to normal.
So I concluded that a cause of high blood pressure is:
LIFE and its RESPONSIBILITIES.
Further Thoughts:
But wait! What about the 5 out of 6 people who don't have high blood pressure despite being right in the middle of LIFE. Well then, there has to be something else, something different about the people who do have HBP. When this difference is coupled with LIFE, then high blood pressure results.
Well, what is this difference? Therein lies the rub. We don't know. I suspect some genetic configuration is present. But we are back to our original observation that 90% of blood pressure elevations have no identifiable cause. Influencing and aggravating factors (salt, obesity, etc.) abound but when all these are eliminated there is still that majority of hypertensive cases who have no discernible cause of high blood pressure.
Conclusion: Let's add LIFE to our list of factors that, when coupled with the unidentified factor(s), raises blood pressure.
Doctors Practical Guide
Just as LIFE does not cause high blood pressure in everyone neither does salt, obesity, substances, lack of exercise, or improper diet. Yet in some people control of one or more of these factors normalizes their pressure. So in them it would seem that those factors really are the cause of high blood pressure in those people.
No, Virginia, there probably is not one cause of high blood pressure but many factors. These factors, both identified and unidentified, work in conjunction with others to raise BP.
It's getting complicated, isn't it?
Let's not get bogged down while you ponder these ideas about the cause of high blood pressure. Concentrate on yourself and work on those factors that are present in you.
If you can eliminate some factor(s) and make your own BP desirable (115/75) then you are golden! You have cured your condition.
If you have eliminated your own factors (or done what you can) and your BP is still undesirable, then work with your doctor to get your BP to the desirable level.
The only way to know your BP level for sure is to take it yourself. See How and Why at How To Take Blood Pressure If you are already convinced see my instruction booklet How To Take Blood Pressure Booklet
Really, it's not difficult. Become the expert in your corner of the world.
The four pages regarding causes of high blood pressure are:
High Blood Pressure Causes
Causes of High Blood Pressure
What Causes High Blood Pressure
Cause of High Blood Pressure
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