The vast majority of people—90 to 95 percent—with high blood pres- sure have a type called essential or primary hypertension, which means that the exact cause or causes are unknown. In other people, high blood pressure may occur because of an underlying problem such as a blood vessel abnormality, kidney disease, or thyroid disease.
However, there are well-known factors that increase your risk of developing high blood pressure or tend to worsen an existing condition. If one or more of these risk factors applies to you, you are at greater risk.
You may have these factors contributing to hypertension, some of which are not within your control:
• Gender Men are somewhat more likely to develop high blood pressure until age 70 than women, but after age 70 women are at greater risk.
• Race Blacks develop high blood pressure more often than whites, and it tends to develop earlier and be more severe.
• Family history If your parents or siblings have high blood pressure, you are more likely to develop it.
• Age Generally, the likelihood that you have high blood pressure increases as you age. However, it is not a normal part of aging, and some people never develop it. Men tend to develop it after age
. Women are more likely to have it after menopause. Other factors are within your control:
• Weight As your body weight increases, your blood pressure rises.
• Lack of exercise An inactive lifestyle increases your likelihood of being overweight and of having high blood pressure.
• Salt Many people with high blood pressure are sensitive to salt;
eating too much salt raises blood pressure in most people.

• Unhealthy diet A diet low in fruits and vegetables or high in fat increases your risk of developing high blood pressure.
• Drinking too much alcohol Heavy regular intake of alcohol can increase blood pressure signi?cantly.
• Medication Over-the-counter decongestants and nutritional supplements may increase blood pressure. Birth control pills may also increase blood pressure in some women.