High blood pressure can be hereditary.
If your parents have high blood pressurealso called hypertensionyou have an increased risk of also developing high blood pressure.
You may also be more prone to developing high blood pressure because of family lifestyle choices.
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Not everyone with a family history of hypertension will go on to develop hypertension themselves.
This is because hypertension can also be influenced by environmental variables and lifestyle choices.
Family History
High blood pressure can run in families.
Men younger than age 65 have higher levels of high blood pressure compared to women of the same age.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Eating too muchsodium(salt) raises your risk of high blood pressure.
Not eating enoughpotassiumcan also raise your risk for hypertension.
Potassium helps balance some of the harmful effects of eating too much sodium.
Foods such as bananas, potatoes, and beans aregood sources of potassium.
The foods you eat can affect your cholesterol levels.
Losing as little as 5 to 10 pounds has been found to help lower blood pressure.
Examples are brisk walking or bike riding.
Get Better Sleep
People who sleep poorly may be at higher risk for developing hypertension.
Too much plaque in the arteries can contribute to hypertension.
Medications
Less than half of people with high blood pressure have it under control.
Healthcare providers will typically first recommend lifestyle changes to control hypertension.
Some people may need to go on medication.
Having close family members with hypertension raises your risk of developing the condition.
Your risk also increases with age.
Black Americans are more likely to have high blood pressure than any other race or ethnic group.
High blood pressure can be treated with prescription medications; they work best when combined with healthy lifestyle changes.
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