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High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a significant risk factor for many severe health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. But what are the factors that contribute to this disease? Is hypertension hereditary or a lifestyle ailment?
People initially believed that high levels of blood pressure are primarily caused by lifestyle factors such as an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, or chronic stress. However, subsequent years of research have shown that genetics can play a major role in the development of hypertension.
The medical fraternity now agrees that Individuals with a family history of blood pressure may be at higher risk for developing the illness themselves, and must be monitored very early in life. Lifestyle factors also matter as they can exacerbate genetic predispositions to this disease. It’s therefore important to make appropriate changes in diet and exercise, along with taking medications, to reduce the risk of potential complications.
It’s worth examining the variables involved in the “genetic versus lifestyle hypertension” debate. With a clearer understanding of the underlying causes, you may be better able to take steps to prevent and manage this condition.
You may be at higher risk if you have a family history of this ailment. However, not everyone with a family history of hypertension will develop the condition.
Since this illness shows very few visible symptoms, the only way to know if you have inherited hypertension is to have your blood pressure measured by a doctor.
According to CDC (Centers for Disease Control And Prevention), if you are diagnosed with hypertension, your doctor may recommend additional testing or evaluation to determine if there is a genetic component to your situation. This may involve testing to look for specific gene mutations or variants. However, this type of testing is generally reserved for cases with a strong suspicion of a specific genetic cause.
Regardless of whether your hypertension has a genetic component or is purely lifestyle-induced, the treatment approach will be similar and will typically involve five concurrent approaches: medication, diet, exercise, lifestyle modifications, and regular screenings.
According to James Roland, writing in Healthline, the following points about genetic hypertension could be valuable to know:
According to Cosimo Marcello Bruno et al., writing in their medical paper in ClinMed, here are some of the critical points about lifestyle hypertension that could be important to understand:
According to Beth and Howard Braver, MD., there are different types of hereditary hypertension, and the specific type can affect how the condition is managed and treated.
Also known as “essential hypertension,” this is the most common type that occurs genetically. It is often managed with lifestyle modifications along with medication to help lower blood pressure.
This type is said to occur when high blood pressure is caused by other underlying familial conditions – such as kidney disease or a glandular imbalance. The underlying condition may have a genetic component, thus making the resultant hypertension also genetic. Treatment will depend on the underlying cause.
Hereditary hypertension is caused by genetic factors inherited from parents and cannot be changed. However, the risk of developing this ailment and the severity of it can be modified through medicines and healthy lifestyle choices.
While individuals with a family history of hypertension may be at higher risk for developing hypertension themselves, they need not always get the disease, as we explained earlier. And, even if they do, the disease could be less or more severe depending on the individual’s other genetic and lifestyle characteristics.
According to the US Dept. of Health and Human Services, if there is a family history of genetic hypertension, it is recommended that children undergo blood pressure screening as early as age 3. This is particularly important if multiple family members have hypertension or the illness develops at a young age in family members. Early detection and treatment of blood pressure in children can help prevent or delay the onset of complications later in life.
If you have one or more chronic health illnesses such as obesity, cholesterol, diabetes, and hypertension (and if any of these are hereditary illnesses), they can all have a multiplicative effect on the heart.
After ascertaining whether your illnesses are caused by genetics or lifestyle issues, your doctor will prescribe medications and emphasize the need for diet, exercise, and lifestyle improvements as part of your total health management program.
It’s imperative to follow your doctor’s advice on the regimens for reducing cholesterol levels, monitoring and managing obesity symptoms, lowering high blood pressure, and ensuring that symptoms of diabetes are controlled.
Knowing your family’s medical history helps a lot in determining if hypertension-related genetic factors exist. This enables you to monitor yourself earlier in life, with your doctor’s help, to see if the disease is likely to manifest in your body, or become severe. Since there are no visible symptoms of hypertension, staying on guard may be your best course of action.
Once hypertension is diagnosed, the treatment is the same for genetic or lifestyle-induced hypertension. Remember the five action points: medications, regular screenings, diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes. And remember also that managing your blood pressure is one of the best ways to manage your heart. Stay heart-healthy. Be a Zinda Dil.
