In 90 per cent of the population, the cause of hypertension is unknown and this is referred to as primary hypertension. The other 10 per cent of people have a known underlying cause, which is known as secondary hypertension. Renal disorders are the most common cause, with other causes including chronic pyelonephritis, diabetic nephropathy, polycystic kidney disease or renal cancer.

Alcohol misuse may be the most common individual cause of secondary hypertension; this can be reversed within a week or two of complete abstinence.

Several risk factors are associated with hypertension.

Non-modifiable risk factors:

• Age: blood pressure tends to rise with age
• Sex of the individual: up to 65 years of age, women tend to have lower blood pressure than men but this is then reversed between 65 to 74 years of age where women tend to have the higher blood pressure
• Ethnicity: more people of black African and black Caribbean origin have hypertension
• Genetic factors: these influence the probability of hypertension.

Modifiable risk factors:

• Social deprivation: individuals from the most deprived areas are 30 per cent more likely to have hypertension
• Lifestyle factors such as smoking, drinking excessive alcohol, eating excessive dietary salt, obesity and lack of physical activity
• Anxiety and emotional stress can lead to raised blood pressure due to increased adrenaline and cortisol levels.

Lifestyle factors are modifiable and the pharmacy team can offer plenty of advice and support to help individuals make changes for the better.