Saturday, March 16, 2024
HomeHealthCan Anxiety Raise Blood Pressure

Can Anxiety Raise Blood Pressure

The Relationship Between Anxiety And Blood Pressure

Can Anxiety Cause High Blood Pressure?

It is definitely the case that anxiety has an association with blood pressure, though its unclear to what extent that relationship is meaningful.

For instance, we know that people with anxiety do tend to have higher morning blood pressure spikes compared to those who do not suffer from anxiety something that might have serious implications for your mental health, if your morning routine struggles.

The general consensus is that anxietys effects on blood pressure should be considered temporary, but over time many episodes of anxiety can still do damage.

For instance, one study found that there is an association between anxiety and hypertension over time.

The authors of that study recommended that early detection and management of chronic anxiety was key in preventing the onset of anxiety-based hypertension.

Hypertension over time can cause a variety of health and blood pressure related side effects, can lead to heart and kidney disease, and can cause irreparable damage.

Does Stress Cause High Blood Pressure

Hypertension, more commonly known as high blood pressure, is a condition that currently affects millions of adults. Roughly 37 million people deal with uncontrolled hypertension, and it caused or contributed to nearly half a million deaths in 2018 alone. Hypertension increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, and it can be caused by many factors, including poor diet, alcohol abuse, obesity, and smoking. Stress is commonly linked with hypertension, but what is the link?

If youre having problems controlling your blood pressure and you live in the Little River, South Carolina area, help is available. Dr. Rogers Walker and Walker Urgent & Family Care offer medical help for high blood pressure and many other conditions for you and your whole family.

You May Like: Does Claritin Cause High Blood Pressure

Can Stress Cause High Blood Pressure

Passing moments of stress and anxiety can cause temporary rises in blood pressurewhich typically resolves in calmer times. When you find yourself in a difficult situation, your body releases stress hormones to help you deal with it. Adrenaline boosts heart rate, blood pressure, and energy. Cortisol increases blood sugar and your brains access to glucose to improve mental function. The goal? The fight-or-flight response primes you to cope with the perceived threat. When the danger has passed, your hormonesand the systems they impactget back to normal.Thats a good thing, because when your stress response is constantly activated, it can cause a host of problems, including chronic hypertension. Research findings show that chronic stress can raise blood pressure more than just temporarily. Elevated blood pressure is several consistent readings of 120-129/< 80, and hypertension is several consistent readings > =130/> 80.

A side effect of stress hormones constantly flooding your system is restricted blood flow. This is similar to you trying to drink from a stirring straw versus a regular size drinking straw, according to LaTosha Flowers, MD, a family medicine physician and the founder of Med Concierge and More. When your heart has to work harder to push blood through the body, it increases blood pressure. Simply put when cortisol is high, so is our blood pressure, Dr. Flowers says.

You May Like: What Is The Va Disability Rating For Hypertensive Heart Disease

Recommended Reading: What The Bible Says About Anxiety

Can Pain Cause High Blood Pressure

Pain, immediate or chronic can produce a traumatic effect on your body. It changes how things inside the body operate. If you have some form of pain, you may be wondering, can pain cause high blood pressure?

Pain can cause high blood pressure because it stimulates the sympathetic nervous system and the adrenal glands to release adrenaline. This increases the heart rate and constricts blood vessels which increases blood pressure.

This blog post will explain how the BP increases in more detail. In addition, Ill explain how much blood pressure will increase and if chronic pain can effect it too.

BP Tip: Lower BP naturally by changing how you breathe? Theres a device approved by the FDA and The American Heart Association. It simply guides your breathing for you a few minutes a day which has been proven to lower BP. You can check it out in the manufacturers website by .

Disclaimer: This post may have some affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Hypertension And Your Mental Health

Can stress cause of low blood pressure?

You may not think of mental health disorders when you think about high blood pressure, but a connection exists. If you have hypertension, youre more likely to experience mood issues, such as anxiety and depression than those with normal blood pressure.

Hypertension is a manageable condition. There are ways to control your blood pressure with lifestyle changes and/or medication. Adhering to an effective hypertension treatment plan can get your blood pressure under control and improve your mental health. Heres what our physicians at Westmed Family Healthcare want you to know about hypertension and your mental health.

Read Also: How To Know If You Have Stress Or Anxiety

Which Exercise Is Best For Blood Pressure

The 6 best exercises to control high blood pressure Ten minutes of brisk or moderate walking three times a day. Exercise lowers blood pressure by reducing blood vessel stiffness so blood can flow more easily. Thirty minutes a day of biking or stationary cycling, or three 10-minute blocks of cycling. Hiking. Desk treadmilling or pedal pushing. Weight training. Swimming.

Blood Pressure Changes And Anxiety

Anxiety is the activation of your fight or flight system a system designed to keep you safe from harm when no danger is present. The fight or flight system causes a number of physical changes that would help you respond to a predator or threat if one was present, but can be distressing when they occur without that danger.

Different types of anxiety can affect your blood pressure in different ways. To understand how anxiety can impact blood pressure, first you must gain a basic understanding of blood pressure and how it fluctuates.

Finally, it is always important to remember that blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day due to exertion, diet, hydration, and more. Blood pressure is not constant even if you do not have any anxiety. So “high blood pressure” may not be high blood pressure at all, and may instead be a reading during one of these fluctuations.

Recommended Reading: What Chemical In The Brain Causes Anxiety

Prospective Studies Of Anxiety Predicting Hypertension Risk

Eight prospective studies investigated the association between the baseline anxiety status and incident hypertension with a total sample size of 80,146 and 2,394 hypertension case subjects. Characteristics of the studies are shown in . The pooled adjusted HR by REM was 1.55 , with strong heterogeneity detected . No publication bias was detected .

Random effects meta-analysis of prospective studies of the association between anxiety and risk of hypertension .

Note: Weights are from random effects analysis.

Abbreviations: HR, hazards ratio CI, confidence interval.

Recommended Reading: Do Onions Lower Blood Pressure

How Can I Lower My Blood Pressure From Anxiety

Can stress or anxiety cause high blood pressure?

There are ways to relax during a home or even in-office blood pressure test so you can get a good reading. Time it well. Timing is important when it comes to taking blood pressure. Go to the bathroom. Wait for a few minutes. Check your breathing. Visualize. Make small talk. Keep practicing. Live a healthy lifestyle.

Also Check: What Comes First Depression Or Anxiety

How High Can Anxiety Raise Your Heart Rate

Afib or Panic Attack? A single panic attack can last a few minutes or an hour. A type of arrhythmia called supraventricular tachycardia can make your heart beat as much as 150 to 250 times a minute. This is the heart arrhythmia most likely to be mistaken for a panic attack.

What Four Things Happen Right Before A Heart Attack

Here are 4 signs of heart attack to be on the lookout for:

  • #1: Chest Pain, Pressure, Squeezing, and Fullness.
  • #2: Arm, Back, Neck, Jaw, or Stomach Pain or Discomfort.
  • #3: Shortness of Breath, Nausea, and Lightheadedness.
  • #4: Breaking Out in a Cold Sweat.
  • Heart Attack Symptoms: Women vs Men.
  • What Next?
  • Next Steps.

Recommended Reading: How To Take Cbd Oil For Anxiety

Your Reaction To Stress May Affect Your Blood Pressure

Your body produces a surge of hormones when you’re in a stressful situation. These hormones temporarily increase your blood pressure by causing your heart to beat faster and your blood vessels to narrow.

There’s no proof that stress by itself causes long-term high blood pressure. But reacting to stress in unhealthy ways can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes. Certain behaviors are linked to higher blood pressure, such as:

  • Smoking

Also, heart disease may be linked to certain health conditions related to stress, such as:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Isolation from friends and family

But there’s no evidence these conditions are directly linked to high blood pressure. Instead, the hormones your body makes when you’re emotionally stressed may damage your arteries, leading to heart disease. Also, some symptoms, like those caused by depression, may cause you to forget to take medications to control high blood pressure or other heart conditions.

Increases in blood pressure related to stress can be dramatic. But when your stress goes away, your blood pressure returns to normal. However, even frequent, temporary spikes in blood pressure can damage your blood vessels, heart and kidneys in a way similar to long-term high blood pressure.

S To Lowering Your Blood Pressure

Can Stress Cause High Blood Pressure?

The first line of treatment for high blood pressure is to make healthy lifestyle changes:

  • Get active
  • Manage stress
  • Quit smoking
  • Its also important to take any antihypertensive medications your doctor recommends. There are many different types of medications available to control high blood pressure, so if one drug causes unpleasant side effects, your doctor can help you find a more suitable one.

    Even if your doctor also prescribes you medication to help tackle hypertension, controlling your weight, quitting smoking, improving your diet, managing stress, and getting regular exercise are critical for keeping your heart in shape and managing your blood pressure over the long term.

    If youve just been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease or have suffered a serious health event such as a stroke or heart attack, you may be experiencing a great deal of emotional upheaval. Its important to give yourself time to process the change in your health and be kind to yourself as you adjust to your new situation. But its also important to know there are plenty of things you can do to come to terms with your diagnosis and regain control of your health.

    Don’t Miss: Can Dizziness Be A Sign Of Anxiety

    Should I Be Worried If My Blood Pressure Is 150 100

    As you can see from the paragraph above, if your blood pressure is significantly elevated it is very unlikely that diet and lifestyle changes alone will be enough to bring your blood pressure in a range that will reduce your risk or heart attacks, strokes, or early death. You need medications.

    Effect Of Pure Anxiety And Pure Depression On Mean Blood Pressure

    In analyses using symptoms of anxiety and depression as continuous scores separately at year 11, we found that both anxiety and depression predicted lower blood pressure at year 22. In analyses where anxiety and depression were further adjusted for each other, the remaining effects of anxiety and of depression on blood pressure were attenuated or became non-significant . Further adjustment for other health factors, antihypertensive medication and heart rate slightly attenuated the associations, similarly as shown in Table . Supplementary analyses using anxiety/depression cut-offs confirmed the direction and increased the strength of the associations described above. However, several of the findings became non-significant .

    Table 3 Association of anxiety and depression1 at 11-year follow-up with change in blood pressure from 11-year to 22-year follow-up

    Read Also: What To Drink For Anxiety

    The Connection Between Anxiety And Blood Pressure

    Being anxious results in a surge of hormones that temporarily increase blood pressure. You can feel this increase as your heart beats faster and blood vessels narrow.

    While there is no evidence suggesting that anxiety leads to long-term hypertension, the way you react may have an effect. By reacting in unhealthy ways, you can increase the risk of hypertension, heart disease, and strokes.

    Some of these behaviors include smoking, drinking too much alcohol, and eating unhealthy foods. In addition, there may be a connection between heart disease and anxiety-related conditions like depression and isolation.

    Meanwhile, there is no direct connection between these conditions and hypertension. But that doesnt mean stress and anxiety cant negatively affect your body.

    For example, some of the hormones the body makes under stressful situations may damage the arteries. The conditions mentioned may also indirectly affect your heart health through behavior.

    Although the blood pressure increase you experience during stressful situations is temporary, its still harmful. Experiencing frequent, temporary spikes can damage blood vessels as well as the heart and kidneys.

    Anxiety And Low Blood Pressure

    Blood Pressure Facts : Can Stress Cause High Blood Pressure?

    Occasionally, anxiety works in the opposite way, causing a reduction in blood pressure.

    This drop may occur because, during periods of intense anxiety, some people take very shallow breaths. The blood vessels then become wider, reducing blood pressure.

    A 2011 study identified an association between the symptoms of anxiety and depression and a decrease in blood pressure, especially in people who have experienced a high level of anxiety symptoms over a prolonged period of decades.

    This relationship also seems to work in both directions as low blood pressure, or hypotension, may sometimes cause anxiety and panic. Its symptoms can be similar to those of anxiety and include:

    • blurred vision

    Don’t Miss: Can Anxiety Cause Low Blood Pressure

    Is There A Connection Between Anxiety And Blood Pressure

    Yes, anxiety does have an effect on your blood pressure. Anxiety is part of the autonomic nervous system which controls the automatic functions of the body. These functions include tasks that you do not consciously think about, such as blood pressure, heart rate, digestion, and temperature control. As our bodies react to stressful situations , our blood pressure increases and sometimes even decreases.

    Continue reading to learn more about anxiety and blood pressure, including the causes of increased blood pressure and treatment options for both anxiety and high blood pressure.

    How To Overcome Affected Blood Pressure

    Your blood pressure is specifically monitored by your brain to ensure that your body is operating at an ideal level. Temporary spikes in blood pressure can cause concerns, but your body creates them for a reason.

    It is important to make sure you learn to manage your anxiety to help ensure healthy blood pressure. Whether you have panic attacks, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, etc., you still need to make sure that you’re treating your anxiety in order to also treat your anxiety-related high blood pressure.

    Summary:

    Anxiety typically makes blood pressure increase, and in some cases can make blood pressure decrease. However, blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day with or without anxiety. It is best to not be too concerned with ones own blood pressure, and instead focus on anxiety reduction.

    Was this article helpful?

    • No

    Read Also: How To Help Panic And Anxiety Attacks

    RELATED ARTICLES
    - Advertisment -

    Most Popular

    - Advertisment -