What Causes High Blood Pressure
Is Everywhere Around Us
What we ingest, our stresses, and diseases or conditions. But most of the time what causes high blood pressure is hidden...
And the second widest cause is not a cause at all but a false impression.
This is the third page of four pages on this website regarding what causes high blood pressure.
On the First sister page, High Blood Pressure Causes I explained:
- Ways to raise blood pressure.
- Disease states that are high blood pressure causes.
- Drugs and substances that can be high blood pressure causes.
On the Second sister page, Causes of High Blood Pressure I explained:
- Classes of high blood pressure (two).
- Theories of the causes of high blood pressure (five).
On this page, the Third sister page, we will discuss the two most common components of what causes high blood pressure:
- The most common of the components of what causes high blood pressure occurs in those cases where no cause is identifiable. As explained elsewhere in multiple areas of this website, 90% of high blood pressure cases have a cause that is hidden from us. But there is a cause. Some day we will find it but it is going to be a while.
- The second most common component of what causes high blood pressure is not a cause at all but a false impression. It causes falsely elevated readings and is called "White-coat hypertension". These are the false elevations that sometimes occur when someone else takes your blood pressure.
Consider the scope of this last problem:
Excellent studies have shown that 26% of high blood pressure readings, taken by someone other than the patient, are false elevations. (Not 26% of all readings but 26% of elevated readings.) See the homepage for more explanation. Homepage
Since 50 million Americans have high blood pressure including 90% of the older citizens, then 12 to 13 million have partially or totally false readings!
Now consider the consequences of this problem:
- First: Needless concern or worry about one's blood pressure. We have enough stress.
- Second: Being falsely diagnosed with hypertension and receiving unnecessary treatment.
- Third: The unnecessary expense of doctor visits, tests and medication.
- Fourth: The small but definite risk of medication. A good trade-off if you truly have hypertension but who wants these risks if unnecessary?
- Fifth: The lessening of your self-image. Don't brush this one off, it is important. I noticed in my practice that people who thought of themselves as being in good health were very reluctant to accept a new diagnosis of a chronic condition. Ever after that they could not think of themselves the same way. It is a blow to your ego. A shame if unnecessary.
Conclusion:
The only way you can eliminate the possibility of falsely elevated readings on yourself is to take your own blood pressure.
Doctor's Practical Guide:
When I think of the 90% of high blood pressure patients (45 million) whose cause is unknown I wonder if 25% of them are victims of White-coat hypertension. That would be over 11 million BP patients could be "cured" just by taking their own BP. Rather mind-boggling!
The 26% of falsely elevated readings were found despite using good technique.
Imagine what the percentage might be when good technique is not used. My booklet on How To Take Blood Pressure includes many tips including feet flat on floor, back supported, arm bare, bladder not full, etc, etc.. See How To Take Blood Pressure Booklet
So learn how to take blood pressure. It's easy and even kind of fun and very self-satisfying. See my page on How and Why How To Take Blood Pressure
P S: The fourth page on this website about what causes high blood pressure is Cause of High Blood Pressure. (Notice the word cause is singular).This one discusses the possibility and probability of there being one single cause for hypertension.
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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