High blood pressure is a serious medical condition that greatly increases the risk of stroke, heart failure, heart attack and kidney failure. While it is more common among the elderly, young adults are sometimes stricken with the condition. The cause of high blood pressure in young adults is often unknown, but several risk factors have been identified.
Obesity
The risk of high blood pressure, also called hypertension, increases in obese young adults. The Obesity Society explains that among men 44 years of age and younger, the percentage of cases of high blood pressure that are related to obesity may reach 60 percent. Obesity is often linked with decreased physical activity, another risk factor for hypertension. Many obese individuals suffer from sleep apnea--a condition in which the individual briefly stops breathing during sleep--due to excessive fat tissue, which also increases the likelihood of blood pressure elevation.
Genetics
"Medical-Surgical Nursing" explains that genetics is a major risk factor for the development of high blood pressure. This is felt to be due to genetic characteristics such as an overactive sympathetic nervous system that responds poorly to stress or a fault in the kidney's release of sodium from the body.
Personality Characteristics
A study entitled Psychosocial Factors and Risk of Hypertension, published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" reports that young adults who are hostile or impatient are at increased risk of developing high blood pressure. The authors indicate that the severity of the hostility or impatience directly correlates with the likelihood of hypertension.
High Alcohol Intake
A high alcohol intake over a period of time increases the likelihood of hypertension. MayoClinic.com explains that consuming more than two or three alcoholic drinks at a time can cause a release of harmful hormones that lead to increased blood pressure.
Drugs
Some prescribed, over-the-counter and illicit drugs can increase blood pressure. Common offenders include estrogen, erythropoietin, cyclosporine, adrenal gland hormones, decongestants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, amphetamines and cocaine .
Medical Conditions
A large variety of medical conditions can cause hypertension in young adults. Endocrine disorders such as Cushing's syndrome, kidney disorders such as hepatitis, and birth defects such as coarctation of the aorta are responsible for some cases. Tumors, brain disorders and mental illnesses are also implicated in some cases of high blood pressure in this population.
References
- "Journal of the American Medical Association"; Psychosocial Factors and Risk of Hypertesnsion; Lijing L. Yan, Ph.D., M.P.H., et al; 2003
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Hypertension
- MayoClinic.com: High Blood Pressure
- The Obesity Society: Obesity Statistics
- "Medical-Surgical Nursing"; Donna Ignatavicius, M.S., R.N. and Linda Workman, Ph.D., R.N.; 2002
