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However, we do
know of several factors that may contribute
to
high blood pressure and raise your risk
for heart attack and stroke.
Controllable
High Blood Pressure risk factors
* Obesity —
People with a body mass index (BMI) of 30.0
or higher are more likely to develop high
blood pressure.
* Eating too much salt — A high sodium
intake increases blood pressure in some
people.
* Drinking too much alcohol — Heavy and
regular use of alcohol can increase blood
pressure dramatically.
* Lack of physical activity — An inactive
lifestyle makes it easier to become
overweight and increases the chance of high
blood pressure.
* Stress — This is often mentioned as a risk
factor, but stress levels are hard to
measure, and responses to stress vary from
person to person.
Uncontrollable
High Blood Pressure risk factors
* Race —
Coloured People / Afro Americans develop
high blood pressure more often than whites,
and it tends to occur earlier and be more
severe. No one knows why it is just that
studies have highlighted this
* Heredity — If your parents or other close
blood relatives have high blood pressure,
you're more likely to develop it.
* Age — In general, the older you get, the
greater your chance of developing high blood
pressure. It occurs most often in people
over age 35. Men seem to develop it most
often between age 35 and 55. Women are more
likely to develop it after menopause.
Learn more about high blood pressure and the
increased risk of stroke
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