Why do you develop high blood pressure?
High blood pressure often develops through an interaction between heredity, age, lifestyle habits and other health conditions. In many cases, there is no single cause, but several factors contribute to blood pressure gradually increasing over time.
Overweight and obesity are some of the most important risk factors for high blood pressure. As body weight increases, the heart needs to work harder to pump blood around the body. At the same time, overweight can affect hormones, kidney function and the ability of blood vessels to regulate blood pressure. Abdominal obesity is particularly linked to an increased risk of hypertension.
Other factors that can contribute to high blood pressure include older age, heredity, physical inactivity, high salt intake, high alcohol consumption, long-term stress and certain diseases, such as kidney disease or type 2 diabetes.
Because blood pressure often rises gradually over many years, most people do not notice any symptoms. High blood pressure is therefore often only discovered during health checks or routine blood pressure measurements.
What do systolic pressure and diastolic pressure mean?
When blood pressure is measured, two values are given, for example 120/80 mmHg.
The first value is called systolic blood pressure and shows the pressure in the blood vessels when the heart contracts and pumps blood around the body. It is the highest pressure that occurs during a heartbeat.
The second value is called diastolic blood pressure and shows the pressure in the blood vessels when the heart relaxes between heartbeats and fills with blood again. It is the lowest pressure in the blood vessels.
A blood pressure of 120/80 mmHg therefore means that the systolic pressure is 120 mmHg and the diastolic pressure is 80 mmHg.
With high blood pressure, the systolic value, the diastolic value or both may be elevated. Blood pressure varies throughout the day, and the diagnosis of high blood pressure is usually based on repeated measurements over time.
How does obesity affect blood pressure?
Obesity can contribute to high blood pressure through several different mechanisms in the body. As the amount of adipose tissue increases, the body needs to supply a greater mass of tissue with blood, which increases the strain on both the heart and blood vessels.
Adipose tissue is also biologically active and produces hormones and signalling substances that affect the body's regulation of blood pressure. Obesity is linked, among other things, to increased activity in the sympathetic nervous system (the stress-regulating system) and in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), a hormonal system that regulates blood pressure and fluid balance. This can cause the blood vessels to constrict and the body to retain more salt and fluid.
Overweight and obesity are therefore among the most important modifiable risk factors for high blood pressure. For people with overweight, weight loss can often lead to improved blood pressure levels and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
Why does high blood pressure increase the risk of cardiovascular disease?
High blood pressure means that, over a long period, blood presses against the walls of the blood vessels with greater force than normal. Over time, this can affect the structure and function of the blood vessels, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
When blood pressure is elevated for many years, the blood vessels can become stiffer and less elastic. At the same time, changes can occur in the vessel walls that contribute to the development of atherosclerosis. The risk is also influenced by other factors that often occur together with high blood pressure, such as elevated blood lipids, type 2 diabetes, smoking and overweight.
Untreated high blood pressure is linked to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure and kidney disease, among other conditions.
How lifestyle changes can contribute to lower blood pressure
For people with high blood pressure, healthy lifestyle habits are an important part of treatment. Weight loss, regular physical activity, healthy eating habits, reduced salt intake, as well as limited alcohol consumption and tobacco use, can contribute to improved blood pressure levels and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
For people with overweight or obesity, weight loss can be particularly important. Even moderate weight loss can help lower blood pressure and improve other risk factors that often occur together with high blood pressure, such as type 2 diabetes and elevated blood lipids.
Dietary patterns with plenty of vegetables, fruit, pulses, wholegrains and other nutritious foods have been linked to better cardiovascular health. For some people, reducing salt intake can also be valuable, as a high salt intake can contribute to elevated blood pressure.
Regular physical activity can also have positive effects on blood pressure. General recommendations for adults are at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, preferably combined with muscle-strengthening activity at least twice a week.
Stress can also affect cardiovascular health and contribute to unhealthy lifestyle habits. For many people, stress management can be a valuable complement to other lifestyle changes. Examples can include active recovery, regular sleep, mindfulness or other relaxation exercises.
How can physical activity affect blood pressure?
Regular physical activity is an important part of the treatment of high blood pressure. Both cardiovascular exercise and strength training can contribute to improved cardiovascular health and lower blood pressure.
When you are physically active, the heart, blood vessels and muscles work together to transport oxygen and nutrients around the body. In the longer term, regular exercise can help improve the function of the blood vessels and make the heart more efficient, which can have positive effects on blood pressure.
Physical activity is also linked to a reduced risk of several diseases that often occur together with high blood pressure, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity.
General recommendations for adults are at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, preferably combined with muscle-strengthening activity at least twice a week. However, it is important to find activities that work based on your own health and everyday life. Everyday movement, such as walking or cycling, can also contribute to better health over time.
The Yazen model: Medical weight loss and lifestyle support for better health
For people with overweight or obesity, weight loss can contribute to improved blood pressure levels and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Because overweight is an important risk factor for high blood pressure, treatment that leads to lasting weight loss can also have positive effects on blood pressure and other cardiometabolic risk factors.
Weight-loss medicines can be a complement to changes in lifestyle habits. Modern GLP-1-based medicines affect the body's signals for hunger and fullness, which can make it easier to reduce energy intake and achieve significant weight loss.
At Yazen, medication is combined with support from doctors and other healthcare professionals. Treatment is adapted based on the individual's health, goals and circumstances and also includes support around diet, physical activity, sleep and other lifestyle habits.
For many people, the aim is not only weight loss, but also to improve health and reduce the risk of diseases such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and fatty liver.
Frequently asked questions about high blood pressure
Which lifestyle habits increase the risk of developing hypertension?
Overweight and obesity, physical inactivity, high alcohol consumption, smoking and a high salt intake are factors that can contribute to high blood pressure. Age, heredity and other health conditions also affect the risk. For many people, healthy lifestyle habits and weight loss can contribute to improved blood pressure levels and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
Why don't I notice if my blood pressure is high?
High blood pressure often causes no clear symptoms, particularly in the early stages. The condition is therefore sometimes called a "silent disease". Many people with high blood pressure feel completely healthy despite their blood pressure having been elevated for a long time.
Because high blood pressure can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and kidney disease, among other conditions, regular blood pressure checks are important, particularly for people with risk factors such as overweight, obesity, type 2 diabetes or a family history of cardiovascular disease.
Do coffee and stress affect my blood pressure measurement?
Yes. Caffeine, nicotine, physical activity and stress can temporarily affect blood pressure and lead to higher readings. It is therefore important to try to measure blood pressure under conditions that are as calm and comparable as possible.
Before a blood pressure measurement, it is usually recommended that you sit down and rest for at least ten minutes. It can also be helpful to avoid coffee, nicotine, intense physical activity and other factors that can affect blood pressure shortly before the measurement.
Because blood pressure varies throughout the day, the assessment of high blood pressure is often based on several measurements over time rather than a single reading.
Can I stop taking my blood pressure medicines when I lose weight?
For people with overweight or obesity, weight loss can contribute to improved blood pressure levels. In some cases, this may mean that the need for blood pressure-lowering medicines changes over time.
How treatment is affected varies between individuals and depends on factors including blood pressure levels, other diseases and the amount of weight lost. Any changes to medication should always be made in consultation with the treating doctor.
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