How to keep your blood pressure down

More men than women have hypertension, until women reach their mid-50s, when a woman's risk becomes equivalent to a man's. Studies have shown that having 'Type A' qualities - being highly driven, a perfectionist, quick-tempered and unable to cope well with stress or to relax - increases the risk for hypertension in men, and therefore may also increase the risk for women. Results from an American study indicate that postmenopausal women (aged 50 to 79) who took hormone replacement therapy were more likely to develop hypertension than non-users.

High blood pressure: causes
The cause of approximately 90 to 95 per cent of all hypertension cases can't be determined. This is referred to as essential hypertension. Most people experience no symptoms, but, left untreated, it can result in permanent damage to the small blood vessels of the body, which can damage vital organs and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. It can also cause acute or chronic circulation problems.

In other cases, hypertension is a symptom of an identified problem and generally corrects itself when the identified cause is corrected. This type of high blood pressure is called secondary hypertension. Potential causes of secondary hypertension are:

• Stress, which can be caused by pain, drug or alcohol withdrawal or high emotions
• Oral contraceptives
• Pre-eclampsia (hypertension and increased urine protein levels caused by pregnancy)
• Pregnancy. Pure hypertension, without the other features of pre-eclampsia can develop in pregnancy, but usually resolves after delivery.
• Renal artery stenosis (narrowing of the arteries leading to your kidneys)
• Steroids
• Adrenal gland disease (Cushing's Disease) or adrenal tumours
• Inflammatory renal disease
• Use of amphetamines, cocaine or other stimulants
• Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland)
• Nicotine nasal sprays designed to help smokers kick the habit