Your ideas about causes

 

Dr Lehman talks about discovering that you have high blood pressure.

Many of those interviewed felt that they had been given no guidance about what actually caused their high blood pressure (hypertension). In some cases they would infer the causes from the questions that their doctor had asked them.

Stress was the factor most commonly accepted as causing high blood pressure (see 'Your concerns' and 'Changes to lifestyle') illustrate the perceived impact of stress.

Considers the relative contributions of smoking and stress towards hypertension.

Considers the impact of stress on hypertension.

Even so, several found it hard to explain why it was that when they cut down on stress in their lives, their high blood pressure (hypertension) didn't necessarily improve. So deeply felt is the relationship between stress and high blood pressure that on being given their diagnosis people would find themselves blaming it on stresses that they hadn't previously recognised. However some proof of the effect of stress was seen in the so called 'white coat' effect where the blood pressure readings tend to be markedly higher when taken by a doctor (in a surgery or hospital) than when recorded under more relaxed circumstances.

The other most commonly mentioned cause was family history:

Discusses the occurrence of high blood pressure in her family.

Describes how high blood pressure has run in the family.

Describes her family's background and how she is more health conscious then they were.

Many people pointed to family members with high blood pressure (hypertension). However, at the same time, they often denied that this could explain their own high blood pressure and turned instead to factors such as stress or diet.

Mentions that he had been told of an hereditary element.

Considers her family history.

Describes the family history of hypertension.

Considers his family history of heart disease.

Discusses whether her family showed any signs of having high blood pressure.

Describes a family history of hypertension.

Describes how a large amount of his family suffered with heart problems but thinks nutrition plays a role.

Others considered if there was a connection, it might be their personality type which had been inherited and that this would account for their developing high blood pressure. By the same reasoning a woman expected her child to develop high blood pressure (hypertension), since she had inherited her personality. 

One woman was convinced that she had no reason in her lifestyle for developing high blood pressure (hypertension) and felt that there must be a genetic cause for her condition. One man saw high blood pressure (hypertension) as lying in wait for him, just as others might have cancer built in to their genetic makeup.

Discusses family history and his acceptance of high blood pressure.

A West Indian man was pretty sure that in his case there must be causes that applied particularly to Afro-Caribbeans. 

A few people tried to give a physiological explanation for the development of high blood pressure (hypertension). Character traits were mentioned that might be responsible for their high blood pressure (hypertension) or at least aggravate it. Some people described themselves as having hyperactive or very emotional personalities and most commonly an inability to slow down or a tendency to become excessively angry.

Describes how he feels that he is a ''hypertensive'' character.

Considers whether his emotional character could have something to do with high blood pressure.

Discusses whether she feels she is a ''hypertensive'' character, and how this affects the way she approaches her doctor.

Lastly, people believed in a connection between various behaviours, including smoking, drinking alcohol and eating salt, and the development of high blood pressure (hypertension). This was particularly annoying to those people who avoided these 'vices' while others were prepared to take the blame.

Describes how youthful anorexia may have brought on hypertension.

Considers the impact of salt and stress on hypertension.

For more information on high blood pressure see our Resources and Information section.

Last reviewed January 2010.

Last updated February 2010.