High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a condition where the force of blood pushing against artery walls is consistently too high. While there is no identifiable cause of high blood pressure in most adults, known causes of high blood pressure include underlying health conditions, certain medications, and unhealthy lifestyle choices. Here are some factors that can increase the risk of developing high blood pressure:

• Unhealthy lifestyle choices: Not getting enough regular physical activity, eating too much salt, not eating enough fruits and vegetables, drinking too much alcohol or coffee, smoking, and having a lot of stress.

• Health conditions: Kidney disease, diabetes, long-term kidney infections, lupus, and scleroderma.

• Certain medications: The contraceptive pill, steroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and some pharmacy cough and cold remedies.

• Age and gender: The risk of high blood pressure increases with age, and women are more likely to develop high blood pressure after age 65.

• Family history: If one or more close biological family members have high blood pressure, there is an increased risk of developing it.

• Race: In the United States, Blacks are twice as likely as whites to have high blood pressure.

It is important to note that high blood pressure can damage important organs like the heart, brain, kidneys, and eyes, and can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Making healthy lifestyle changes such as exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, and managing stress can help reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure and lower blood pressure if it is already high.