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A number of lifestyle habits can raise your risk for hypertension.

Although genetic risk for hypertension cannot be changed – many lifestyle factors can be changed to lower blood pressure.

Knowing your genetic risk of developing hypertension can help you take control of the risk factors you can change

Genetic and lifestyle factors contribute evenly to the development of hypertension

It is generally accepted, that genetic and lifestyle factors contribute evenly to the development of hypertension. However, since scientists don´t yet fully understand what causes essential hypertension, all risk factors for hypertension may not yet be known. Due to the complexity of blood pressure regulation and the multiple coordinated systems that are affected in hypertension, it may take years for scientists to find every gene and all possible risk factors involved in causing essential hypertension.

However, several risk factors are known to contribute significantly to the development of high blood pressure. These are the genetic factors identified in the deCODEme Complete test in addition to lifestyle factors.

Some of the risk factors for hypertension are controllable while others are not

• Controllable risk factors:
  • Being overweight: Studies have shown that almost two-thirds of those suffering from Obesity have an increased risk of hypertension. Exactly how obesity leads to hypertension is not known. However, being overweight can alter hormonal functions in the body. The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system is responsible for controlling the blood volume of the body and along with the sympathetic nervous system it controls the level of sodium and water retention in the body. Proper regulation of blood pressure depends on the normal function of these systems. Excessive weight also requires increased blood volume in the body, which can contribute to hypertension and increased workload of the heart.
  • Eating too much salt: A high sodium intake causes the body to retain fluids which increases blood pressure in some people.
  • Drinking too much alcohol: Over time, excessive alcohol use can cause damage to the heart and arteries resulting in high blood pressure. People who are at increased genetic risk for developing hypertension, may be even more susceptible to the hypertensive effects of alcohol use. Even a single incidence of heavy alcohol use can cause a healthy body to release hormones that increase blood flow and heart rate which can increase blood pressure dramatically.
  • Lack of physical activity: Lack of physical activity increases the likelihood of high blood pressure in addition to contributing to excessive weight-gain, which also increases the risk of high blood pressure.
  • Stress: can lead to the release of hormones that lead to a temporary, but often dramatic, increase in blood pressure. However, response to stress varies considerably from person to person, and stress can develop even in people who are not stressed at all.

• Uncontrollable risk factors:
  • Family history: People who have parents or close blood relatives with hypertension are more likely to develop it themselves. Although you can’t control your genetic risk for hypertension, you can take steps to change your lifestyle and thereby lower your risk of developing this disease. Lifestyle choices have allowed many people with a family history of hypertension to avoid the disease themselves.
  • Age: Hypertension occurs most often in people over age 35. In general, the older people get, the greater their chance of developing high blood pressure. Blood vessels lose flexibility with age and this can contribute to increased blood pressure. However, hypertension should not to be considered a normal consequence of aging.
  • Gender: Men have a greater risk of developing hypertension than females. Men mostly develop high blood pressure between the ages of 35 and 55 whereas women are more likely to develop high blood pressure after menopause.
  • Ethnicity: Individuals of African American descent have a higher risk of developing high blood pressure than people of European descent and on average have an earlier onset and a more severe disease.
  • Female hormones: Women who are pregnant or taking oral contraceptives are at an increased risk for developing high blood pressure. Some women who have never had high blood pressure develop it during pregnancy (a condition known as pre-eclampsia). Also, a woman taking oral contraceptives is more likely to develop high blood pressure if she is overweight, has had high blood pressure during pregnancy, has a family history of high blood pressure or has an underlying kidney disease.

Calculate your hypertension risk with the American Heart Association’s risk calculator

This content was last reviewed on February 22, 2011.

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