Heredity and Hypertension

If asked to describe the typical hypertension patient, you would probably say that he was a man, middle aged, with a high-stress job and a short temper who was also overweight. You'd be close, but you'd need to add that he would also be black and have a family history of hypertension. That description includes all of the highest risk factors for developing high blood pressure -- sex (male), age (45+), stress, obesity, race (black), and heredity. But this description doesn't mean that only those who fit it will develop high blood pressure or hypertension.

Hypertension is a kind of equal opportunity problem. People of all races, both sexes, all ages, with varying degrees of stress and both of excessive and normal weights, can and do develop high blood pressure, and heredity is one of those factors.

Those of us with a family history of hypertension are more than twice as likely to develop it as those who do not have a family history of hypertension. The predisposition of hypertension is apparently present at birth because many children of hypertensive parents have slightly elevated blood pressure even as infants.

What can you do about it if you do have a family history of hypertension? Well, you can't change your ancestors or their health histories, but you can live a healthy lifestyle by practicing healthy eating habits (low fat, low salt, and lay off the prepackaged, convenience, and fast food), taking regular exercise, and not using alcohol or caffeine to an extreme. If you do have a family history of high blood pressure, though, you should monitor your blood pressure carefully; and if it does go to or above 140/90 and stays there, you need to see your doctor ASAP.

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