Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesCauses vs. Risk FactorsConditionsMedicationsBlood Pressure SpikesHBP Without SymptomsBlood Pressure ReadingsNext in Hypertension GuideHow Hypertension Is Diagnosed
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Causes vs. Risk Factors
Conditions
Medications
Blood Pressure Spikes
HBP Without Symptoms
Blood Pressure Readings
Next in Hypertension Guide
Anormal readingis typically 120 over 80 (120/80 mm Hg). People with certain health disorders may be at a higher risk of hypertension and can experience severe headaches, dizziness, chest pain, and more symptoms.
Many factors can contribute to risk with high blood pressure, including:
This article will discuss the various causes of high blood pressure and different risk factors.
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What Causes Sudden High Blood Pressure?
High blood pressure can be sudden or prolonged. In some cases, the cause of hypertension is unknown. When that happens, it is referred to as primary hypertension.Secondary hypertensionoccurs with a known cause.
In the case of sudden secondary hypertension, there are several possible causes:
These causes generally lead to a spike in blood pressure that does not last for a prolonged period.
The Caffeine and Blood Pressure ConnectionStudies have examined whether caffeine raises blood pressure temporarily, but research has been conflicting. The discrepancies in studies show that some people may experience an increase in blood pressure after drinking coffee while others do not.
The Caffeine and Blood Pressure Connection
Studies have examined whether caffeine raises blood pressure temporarily, but research has been conflicting. The discrepancies in studies show that some people may experience an increase in blood pressure after drinking coffee while others do not.
The 6 Best Blood Pressure Monitors to Use At Home, Tested and Reviewed
Causes of High Blood Pressure: Different From Risk Factors
Many people see the causes of hypertension and risk factors as one and the same, but the two are different. Risk factors are outside elements that can lead to a certain health outcome, whereas causes directly correlate with developing the health disorder.
Risk factors associated with developing high blood pressure include:
Risk Factors and YouIf you fall into any risk factor category, you may be able to make some lifestyle changes to help reduce your blood pressure. Before making any changes, speak to a healthcare provider about how they may affect you and ask about the safest way to lower blood pressure.
Risk Factors and You
If you fall into any risk factor category, you may be able to make some lifestyle changes to help reduce your blood pressure. Before making any changes, speak to a healthcare provider about how they may affect you and ask about the safest way to lower blood pressure.
Can Diabetes Cause High Blood Pressure?
Conditions That Cause High Blood Pressure
Health conditions can drive secondary high blood pressure. Conditions include:
Lowering Blood Pressure During PregnancyHigh blood pressure during pregnancy can be serious. Because of that, speaking to a healthcare provider and knowing your options for lowering your blood pressure on your own while pregnant is essential. Some possible ways to lower blood pressure during pregnancy include:Staying active as long as your healthcare provider permits itEating a balanced dietLimiting or removing salt from your diet
Lowering Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
High blood pressure during pregnancy can be serious. Because of that, speaking to a healthcare provider and knowing your options for lowering your blood pressure on your own while pregnant is essential. Some possible ways to lower blood pressure during pregnancy include:Staying active as long as your healthcare provider permits itEating a balanced dietLimiting or removing salt from your diet
High blood pressure during pregnancy can be serious. Because of that, speaking to a healthcare provider and knowing your options for lowering your blood pressure on your own while pregnant is essential. Some possible ways to lower blood pressure during pregnancy include:
Can High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy Cause Complications?
Medications That Cause High Blood Pressure
Taking certain medications can also drive high blood pressure. Some possible medications known to be associated with hypertension include:
Should You Stop Taking Medications That Cause High Blood Pressure?Any medication prescribed to you was done so for a reason. Because of that, taking your medication as prescribed is essential unless your healthcare provider tells you otherwise. You will likely be monitored for high blood pressure and other side effects when you begin new medications.
Should You Stop Taking Medications That Cause High Blood Pressure?
Any medication prescribed to you was done so for a reason. Because of that, taking your medication as prescribed is essential unless your healthcare provider tells you otherwise. You will likely be monitored for high blood pressure and other side effects when you begin new medications.
8 Vitamins and Herbs to Avoid if You Have High Blood Pressure
What Causes High Blood Pressure Spikes?
A spike in blood pressure occurs when your range reaches 180–200 mm Hg. Several things can lead to spikes in blood pressure, including:
Is a Spike in Blood Pressure Permanent?
What Causes High Blood Pressure Without Symptoms?
High blood pressure may cause some symptoms to develop. That said, it is often referred to as the “silent killer” because many people do not experience any signs that it’s occurring in their bodies. If they do, symptoms can include:
How Does High Blood Pressure Feel?You may not feel anything when you have high blood pressure, but it can cause damage to the body even if you don’t experience symptoms. That is why it’s vital to get your blood pressure tested regularly and work on eliminating risk factors in your life.
How Does High Blood Pressure Feel?
You may not feel anything when you have high blood pressure, but it can cause damage to the body even if you don’t experience symptoms. That is why it’s vital to get your blood pressure tested regularly and work on eliminating risk factors in your life.
How Often Should You Check Your Own Blood Pressure?
I Don’t Know What’s Causing My High Blood Pressure
If you monitor your blood pressure and see a consistently high level, you should see a healthcare provider. They can help run diagnostic tests and other examinations to determine what may be causing your high blood pressure and routes to lower it to safe levels.
Identifying Ideal Blood Pressure Levels
12 Tricks to Lower Your Blood Pressure Instantly at Home
Summary
High blood pressure can arise for many reasons, including underlying health disorders, medications, or poor lifestyle habits. Because there is a wide array of causes, the only way to tell what is causing your high blood pressure. A medical professional will determine the cause and what you can do about it. High blood pressure can be treated in various ways, but before any therapies can begin, you must know what is causing it.
16 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Mills KT, Stefanescu A, He J.The global epidemiology of hypertension.Nat Rev Nephrol.2020 Apr;16(4):223-237. doi:10.1038/s41581-019-0244-2American Family Physician.Clues that your high blood pressure is due to an underlying and treatable condition.Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Medical School.Coffee and your blood pressure.Alzghoul BN, Abualsuod A, Alqam B, Innabi A, Palagiri DR, Gheith Z, Amer FN, Meena NK, Kenchaiah S.Cocaine use and pulmonary hypertension,Am J Cardiol.2020 Jan 15;125(2):282-288. doi:10.1016/j.amjcard.2019.10.008Spruill TM.Chronic psychosocial stress and hypertension.Curr Hypertens Rep.2010 Feb;12(1):10-6. doi:10.1007/s11906-009-0084-8Bolívar JJ.Essential hypertension: An approach to its etiology and neurogenic pathophysiology.Int J Hypertens.2013;2013:547809. doi:10.1155/2013/547809World Health Organization.Hypertension.Princewel F, Cumber SN, Kimbi JA, Nkfusai CN, Keka EI, Viyoff VZ, Beteck TE, Bede F, Tsoka-Gwegweni JM, Akum EA.Prevalence and risk factors associated with hypertension among adults in a rural setting: the case of Ombe, Cameroon.Pan Afr Med J.2019 Nov 14;34:147. doi:10.11604/pamj.2019.34.147.17518Leung AA, Bushnik T, Hennessy D, McAlister FA, Manuel DG.Risk factors for hypertension in Canada.Health Rep.2019 Feb 20;30(2):3-13.UK National Health Service.Causes: High blood pressure (hypertension).UK National Health Service.High blood pressure (hypertension) and pregnancy.Séi H.Blood pressure surges in REM sleep: A mini review.Pathophysiology.2012 Sep;19(4):233-41. doi:10.1016/j.pathophys.2012.04.006He FJ, MacGregor GA.Salt and sugar: Their effects on blood pressure.Pflugers Arch.2015 Mar;467(3):577-86. doi:10.1007/s00424-014-1677-xAmerican Heart Association.Managing stress to control high blood pressure.Mohammed LLM, Dhavale M, Abdelaal MK, Alam ABMN, Blazin T, Prajapati D, Mostafa JA.Exercise-induced hypertension in healthy individuals and athletes: Is it an alarming sign?Cureus.2020 Dec 9;12(12):e11988. doi:10.7759/cureus.11988American Heart Association.Understanding blood pressure readings.
16 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Mills KT, Stefanescu A, He J.The global epidemiology of hypertension.Nat Rev Nephrol.2020 Apr;16(4):223-237. doi:10.1038/s41581-019-0244-2American Family Physician.Clues that your high blood pressure is due to an underlying and treatable condition.Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Medical School.Coffee and your blood pressure.Alzghoul BN, Abualsuod A, Alqam B, Innabi A, Palagiri DR, Gheith Z, Amer FN, Meena NK, Kenchaiah S.Cocaine use and pulmonary hypertension,Am J Cardiol.2020 Jan 15;125(2):282-288. doi:10.1016/j.amjcard.2019.10.008Spruill TM.Chronic psychosocial stress and hypertension.Curr Hypertens Rep.2010 Feb;12(1):10-6. doi:10.1007/s11906-009-0084-8Bolívar JJ.Essential hypertension: An approach to its etiology and neurogenic pathophysiology.Int J Hypertens.2013;2013:547809. doi:10.1155/2013/547809World Health Organization.Hypertension.Princewel F, Cumber SN, Kimbi JA, Nkfusai CN, Keka EI, Viyoff VZ, Beteck TE, Bede F, Tsoka-Gwegweni JM, Akum EA.Prevalence and risk factors associated with hypertension among adults in a rural setting: the case of Ombe, Cameroon.Pan Afr Med J.2019 Nov 14;34:147. doi:10.11604/pamj.2019.34.147.17518Leung AA, Bushnik T, Hennessy D, McAlister FA, Manuel DG.Risk factors for hypertension in Canada.Health Rep.2019 Feb 20;30(2):3-13.UK National Health Service.Causes: High blood pressure (hypertension).UK National Health Service.High blood pressure (hypertension) and pregnancy.Séi H.Blood pressure surges in REM sleep: A mini review.Pathophysiology.2012 Sep;19(4):233-41. doi:10.1016/j.pathophys.2012.04.006He FJ, MacGregor GA.Salt and sugar: Their effects on blood pressure.Pflugers Arch.2015 Mar;467(3):577-86. doi:10.1007/s00424-014-1677-xAmerican Heart Association.Managing stress to control high blood pressure.Mohammed LLM, Dhavale M, Abdelaal MK, Alam ABMN, Blazin T, Prajapati D, Mostafa JA.Exercise-induced hypertension in healthy individuals and athletes: Is it an alarming sign?Cureus.2020 Dec 9;12(12):e11988. doi:10.7759/cureus.11988American Heart Association.Understanding blood pressure readings.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Mills KT, Stefanescu A, He J.The global epidemiology of hypertension.Nat Rev Nephrol.2020 Apr;16(4):223-237. doi:10.1038/s41581-019-0244-2American Family Physician.Clues that your high blood pressure is due to an underlying and treatable condition.Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Medical School.Coffee and your blood pressure.Alzghoul BN, Abualsuod A, Alqam B, Innabi A, Palagiri DR, Gheith Z, Amer FN, Meena NK, Kenchaiah S.Cocaine use and pulmonary hypertension,Am J Cardiol.2020 Jan 15;125(2):282-288. doi:10.1016/j.amjcard.2019.10.008Spruill TM.Chronic psychosocial stress and hypertension.Curr Hypertens Rep.2010 Feb;12(1):10-6. doi:10.1007/s11906-009-0084-8Bolívar JJ.Essential hypertension: An approach to its etiology and neurogenic pathophysiology.Int J Hypertens.2013;2013:547809. doi:10.1155/2013/547809World Health Organization.Hypertension.Princewel F, Cumber SN, Kimbi JA, Nkfusai CN, Keka EI, Viyoff VZ, Beteck TE, Bede F, Tsoka-Gwegweni JM, Akum EA.Prevalence and risk factors associated with hypertension among adults in a rural setting: the case of Ombe, Cameroon.Pan Afr Med J.2019 Nov 14;34:147. doi:10.11604/pamj.2019.34.147.17518Leung AA, Bushnik T, Hennessy D, McAlister FA, Manuel DG.Risk factors for hypertension in Canada.Health Rep.2019 Feb 20;30(2):3-13.UK National Health Service.Causes: High blood pressure (hypertension).UK National Health Service.High blood pressure (hypertension) and pregnancy.Séi H.Blood pressure surges in REM sleep: A mini review.Pathophysiology.2012 Sep;19(4):233-41. doi:10.1016/j.pathophys.2012.04.006He FJ, MacGregor GA.Salt and sugar: Their effects on blood pressure.Pflugers Arch.2015 Mar;467(3):577-86. doi:10.1007/s00424-014-1677-xAmerican Heart Association.Managing stress to control high blood pressure.Mohammed LLM, Dhavale M, Abdelaal MK, Alam ABMN, Blazin T, Prajapati D, Mostafa JA.Exercise-induced hypertension in healthy individuals and athletes: Is it an alarming sign?Cureus.2020 Dec 9;12(12):e11988. doi:10.7759/cureus.11988American Heart Association.Understanding blood pressure readings.
Mills KT, Stefanescu A, He J.The global epidemiology of hypertension.Nat Rev Nephrol.2020 Apr;16(4):223-237. doi:10.1038/s41581-019-0244-2
American Family Physician.Clues that your high blood pressure is due to an underlying and treatable condition.
Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Medical School.Coffee and your blood pressure.
Alzghoul BN, Abualsuod A, Alqam B, Innabi A, Palagiri DR, Gheith Z, Amer FN, Meena NK, Kenchaiah S.Cocaine use and pulmonary hypertension,Am J Cardiol.2020 Jan 15;125(2):282-288. doi:10.1016/j.amjcard.2019.10.008
Spruill TM.Chronic psychosocial stress and hypertension.Curr Hypertens Rep.2010 Feb;12(1):10-6. doi:10.1007/s11906-009-0084-8
Bolívar JJ.Essential hypertension: An approach to its etiology and neurogenic pathophysiology.Int J Hypertens.2013;2013:547809. doi:10.1155/2013/547809
World Health Organization.Hypertension.
Princewel F, Cumber SN, Kimbi JA, Nkfusai CN, Keka EI, Viyoff VZ, Beteck TE, Bede F, Tsoka-Gwegweni JM, Akum EA.Prevalence and risk factors associated with hypertension among adults in a rural setting: the case of Ombe, Cameroon.Pan Afr Med J.2019 Nov 14;34:147. doi:10.11604/pamj.2019.34.147.17518
Leung AA, Bushnik T, Hennessy D, McAlister FA, Manuel DG.Risk factors for hypertension in Canada.Health Rep.2019 Feb 20;30(2):3-13.
UK National Health Service.Causes: High blood pressure (hypertension).
UK National Health Service.High blood pressure (hypertension) and pregnancy.
Séi H.Blood pressure surges in REM sleep: A mini review.Pathophysiology.2012 Sep;19(4):233-41. doi:10.1016/j.pathophys.2012.04.006
He FJ, MacGregor GA.Salt and sugar: Their effects on blood pressure.Pflugers Arch.2015 Mar;467(3):577-86. doi:10.1007/s00424-014-1677-x
American Heart Association.Managing stress to control high blood pressure.
Mohammed LLM, Dhavale M, Abdelaal MK, Alam ABMN, Blazin T, Prajapati D, Mostafa JA.Exercise-induced hypertension in healthy individuals and athletes: Is it an alarming sign?Cureus.2020 Dec 9;12(12):e11988. doi:10.7759/cureus.11988
American Heart Association.Understanding blood pressure readings.
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