What causes high blood pressure?

Three forms of high blood pressure have been described: essential (or primary) hypertension and secondary hypertension. Essential hypertension is a far common condition and accounts for 90% of hypertension. The cause of hypertension is multi factorial, that is, many factors which combined effects produce hypertension. In secondary hypertension, which accounts for 5% of hypertension, the high B,P is secondary to (caused by) a specific abnormality in one of the organs or systems of the body.
Essential hypertension affects at about 72 million Americans, yet its initial causes or underlying defects are not always known., certain associations have been recognized in people with essential hypertension. For example, essential hypertension produce only in groups or societies that have a fairly low intake of salt, exceeding 5.9 grams daily. Salt intake may be a particularly important factor in relation to essential hypertension in several situations, and excess salt may be involved in the hypertension that is associated with advancing age, African American background, obesity, hereditary (genetic) susceptibility, and kidney failure (renal insufficiency). The Institute of Medicine recommends healthy 19 to 50-year-old adults consume only 3.8 grams of salt to replace the average amount lost daily through perspiration and to achieve a diet that give sufficient amount of other essential nutrients.
Genetic factors are thought to play a prominent role in the development of initial hypertension. However, the genes for hypertension have not yet been recognise. (Genes are tiny portions of chromosomes that produce the proteins that determine the character of individuals.) The present research in this area is focused on the genetic factors that affect the rennin -angiotensin- system. This system helps to regulate blood pressure by controlling salt balance and the tone (state of elasticity) At about 30% of cases of initial hypertension are attributable to genetic factors. For example, in the U.S, the incidence of high blood pressure is greater among African than among Caucasians or Asians. Also, in individuals who have one or two parents with hypertension, high blood pressure is twice as common as in the general nation. Rarely, certain unusual genetic disorders affecting the hormones of the adrenal glands may lead to hypertension. (These identified genetic disorders are considered secondary hypertension.)

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