Blood pressure and pulse rate are two indicators of the amount of strain being put on the heart. Elevated blood pressure means that the heart is having to pump extra hard to keep blood circulating, whereas an elevated heart rate means that the heart is pumping abnormally fast. The two symptoms combined can be caused by a number of health conditions.
Hypertension
An elevated heart rate and high blood pressure can be the result of cardiovascular disease, the MayoClinic.com notes. Long-standing hypertension can weaken the heart somewhat as the excess strain caused by having to pump against a higher-than-normal pressure causes the muscles in the heart to become overexerted. To compensate, the heart can try to beat faster, which can keep blood moving despite the elevated arterial pressure. There are a number of causes of long-standing hypertension, including a natural hereditary predisposition, a high salt diet, kidney disease and obesity.
Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis can also result in high blood pressure and a high pulse rate. With atherosclerosis, cholesterol attaches to the walls of the arteries to form hard deposits known as atherosclerotic plaques. These plaques cause thickening of the arterial walls, which narrows the amount of space through which blood can flow. When there is less space for the blood to flow, it increases blood pressure and the heart rate.
Stress
Stress causes the heart to pump harder and more rapidly as it tries to get as much blood circulating throughout the body as possible. Physical activity represents one form of stress that can increase a person's blood pressure and pulse rate, though both values will return to a lower base level relatively quickly once the physical activity has ended. Anxiety can also cause an elevation of the heart rate and the pulse as the chemical changes which accompany this emotional state cause the heart to pump harder.
Thyroid Disease
Thyroid disease can also result in elevations in blood pressure and pulse rate. The thyroid makes hormones that regulate how the body burns energy. Patients who have an unusually active thyroid, which can occur naturally, as a result of immune disorders or because of thyroid cancer, secrete too much of the thyroid hormones T4 and T3. These hormones cause cells to utilize more energy. This causes the heart muscles to contract more frequently and with greater force, raising the blood pressure and pulse.
Stimulants
Stimulants can also result in temporary hypertension and an increased pulse rate. One common effect of many different stimulants, which include caffeine and nicotine, is that they increase the levels of a chemical known as norepinephrine in the brain. Norepinephrine activates the parts of the brain that control the heart; thus, increased levels of these chemicals cause the heart to become more stimulated, resulting in a stronger and more rapid heart beat. Some stimulants, such as amphetamines and cocaine, can have a dramatic effect on blood pressure and the pulse.
