While researchers haven't discovered specific causes, they have identified some factors that increase the chance that a person will develop high blood pressure. Drinking too much alcohol, using oral contraceptives and being physically inactive also seem to have some bearing on high blood pressure. Here's a brief explanation of each of these factors. Experts have found that a tendency toward high blood pressure often seems to run in families. That means that if your parents or other close blood relatives had high blood pressure, you're more likely to develop it.
Men are more likely to develop high blood pressure than women.
But after menopause women's risk of high blood pressure goes up. Men seem to develop high blood pressure most often between age 35 and 50. Women are more likely to develop high blood pressure after menopause. In general, the older a person gets, the greater the chance that he or she will develop high blood pressure. And eating too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure in some people.