5 Causes of More and More Young People Affected by Hypertension

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Hypertension is better known as a disease that often attacks elderly people. The risk of hypertension is increasing as we get older. But in reality, cases of hypertension in young people and children are found more and more throughout the world. In the United States, approximately 20% of young adults aged 18-30 years who are at risk of coronary heart disease first have hypertension.


Actually, what causes hypertension in young people?

About 90-95% of cases of hypertension in the world include the type of primary hypertension. Primary hypertension is a condition of high blood pressure that is not clear why; not caused or affected by any medical conditions.

The rest is included in the category of secondary hypertension. This is a type of hypertension caused by a certain medical condition that attacks kidney function, blood vessels, the heart, or the endocrine system. The causes of secondary hypertension in young people are hereditary / inherited kidney disease, aortic form / function abnormalities, sleep apnea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or thyroid problems (hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism). Young women are also more at risk of getting hypertension if they regularly take birth control pills. However, the suspicion of secondary hypertension in young people must be ruled out first if it is suspected. Secondary hypertension can be canceled when the condition of the cause is eradicated.


Modern-day lifestyles increase the risk of hypertension at a young age

Most cases of hypertension in young people belong to primary hypertension. Although it is not clear what the specific cause is, primary hypertension is most likely influenced by heredity (genetic) or an unhealthy lifestyle, or a combination of both. For more details, see the following explanation:

1. Genetic factors
A history of inherited hypertension in the family can increase the risk of hypertension in the next generation of young people. In young people who have hypertension but no medical problems that trigger it and their lifestyle is not risky, genetics is the only possible cause.

2. Obesity

Today, there are more young people and adolescents who have more weight than teenagers of the past generation. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that cases of obesity have doubled since the 1980s. At least 1 in 10 young adults in the world is obese. Increasing the problem of obesity globally is one of the main risk factors that can explain why cases of hypertension in young people are increasingly mushrooming. An international survey published by the Journal of American College Surgery reported that people with excess weight were 1.7 times more likely to have hypertension than people with healthy or normal weight.

3. Lack of exercise
Physical activity such as exercise makes the body produce hormones that relax the walls of blood vessels, thereby helping to reduce one's tension. Meanwhile, the less movement means the more fat is accumulated in the body so that the weight increases. If you lack exercise plus you have weight that tends to be obese, this will increase the risk of hypertension at a young age.

4. Poor diet
The habit of young people eating fast food that is high in salt and fat contributes to an increase in cases of hypertension globally. Excessive and sustained intake of sodium salt will narrow the blood vessels and make the body store excess water. These two factors will increase blood pressure.

5. Not used to checking tension
Hypertension is often underestimated by young people because they think the disease will only attack older people. That's why young people rarely or even never check their tension at all. Even though ideally, we should start checking regularly starting at the age of 20 years. Young people must begin to realize as early as possible that cases of hypertension in adolescence are increasing every year. They also need to be aware of any risk of complications of hypertension in future health of the body. That way, they can take proactive steps to prevent it.

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