Many influences increase the dangers of high blood pressure.  A few of these influences are things you cannot change, like your nationality.  Those who are from African decent, those of south Asian heritage, of the First Nations, Inuit or Aboriginal Peoples are all at greater risk of developing hypertension.  The danger of increased blood pressure can also be due to the aging process with those over the age of 65 are at a 50 percent probability of developing high blood pressure. 

There is also an increased chance of getting hypertension because of family genealogy.  If your parents suffered from hypertension, you have a 20 percent probability of developing hypertension.  If high blood pressure is a problem for both of your parents you run a 33 percent chance of developing a problem. 

Here are a few ideas of how to decrease the eventuality of developing hypertension and its problems to your health.  Being that diabetes does affect the blood pressure, it is always a good idea to get tested to see if you do suffer from this condition and in case it is a problem, to get proper treatment. 

Certain lifestyle choices can directly increase the probability of developing hypertension, like excessive amounts of alcohol, and little to no physical exercising that drastically diminishes the burning of calories that leads to weight gain.  Excess weight, particularly when it gathers round the waistline, can be a contributing factor for elevated blood pressure.  Excess weight also leads to type 2 diabetes and other complications.

Smoking, like drinking too much alcohol, is a habit that will increase the danger of developing hypertension.  The disease that causes the arteries to narrow and makes the heart work harder in directing the flow of blood through the body is called atherosclerosis and is directly related  to  smoking.

Stress is a common factor in the lives of many individuals today and this will definitely lead to very dangerous levels of high blood pressure.  If a person develops a habit of drinking, smoking or eating to alleviate the problems of stress the dangerous increase in the pressure of the blood is eminent. 

The last lifestyle condition that should be changed is being careful to find the proper balance of potassium, a very essential mineral, in the cells of the body.  This will help to regulate sodium that will make the body retain water and thereby increase the pressure of the blood.