According to the American Heart Association, over 74 million people in the United States have high blood pressure. Unfortunately, the cause of the majority of cases of high blood pressure is not known, yet it is easy to detect and treat in most instances. High blood pressure is classified as either essential or secondary hypertension. Essential hypertension is a consistent high pressure with no specific cause, and secondary hypertension is caused by another medical disease. In men, there are various factors that may contribute to the development of high blood pressure. With physician consultation, high blood pressure is treatable.
Sodium Intake
The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) recognizes that too much sodium in the diet is a potential cause of high blood pressure, i.e., the more sodium intake, the higher the likelihood of hypertension. Rutgers University explains that an increase in salt in the diet causes fluid to be retained in the blood vessels. The heart has to work harder to pump blood to the rest of the body due to the increased fluid, and this leads to a higher volume of blood in the circulatory system. Additionally, salt is a possible culprit for resisting movement of the blood in the arterioles, essentially blocking the flow of blood being returned to the heart. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends no more than 2300 mg of sodium a day for healthy men, and a maximum of 1500 mg a day for men at risk for heart disease.
Obesity
A high amount of extra body fat increases the risk of developing long-term high blood pressure. The NHLBI indicates that men are at high risk for obesity-related high blood pressure. Obesity presents an increase in the cardiac output and blood volume of the body. In turn, this increases the resistance of arterial movement of blood flow. Being overweight also increases the secretion of insulin in the blood. All of these factors together force the body to work overtime toward regulating itself. As a result of this work, the blood vessels are thickened and blood volume increases, leading to high blood pressure.
Lifestyle Choices
The Mayo Clinic indicates that smoking or use of tobacco products is another potential cause of high blood pressure in men. There are numerous lifestyle choices that factor in to cause hypertension, but these factors can be controlled by simple changes made to daily living. Excessive alcohol use is another factor to consider, as well as nutritional deficits that may lead to hypertension. The NHLBI recommends increased daily physical activity and decreased substance use as a means for managing blood pressure.
