Does Anxiety Cause High Blood Pressure?

This can affect how an individual feels, think and behave. Signs and symptoms can include sleeping problems, loss of appetite and difficulty concentrating. Stress can usually cause high blood pressure.

What causes all of these symptoms? Anxiety is known as a physiological or behavioral change that causes the formation of symptoms and affects the coping mechanism that affects a person’s everyday reaction to a stressor (Stuart 219). These changes occur at the autonomic nervous system, which influences the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems which are in turn responsible for body processes. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the “fight or flight” defense system which is what causes anxiety. Anxiety is perceived by the cortex of the brain which sends a stimuli to the adrenal glands which then release epinephrine, which causes you to breathe harder, you pulse and blood pressure increase. Blood moves away from the stomach and intestines where it was used to digestion and it shifts towards the heart, CNS, and muscles to replenish resources used during flight or fight (Stuart 220-1). GABA and Serotonin are also both responsible for the cause of anxiety. GABA which is affects the amygdale and hippocampus which is the center for emotions such as fear, arousal, and rage. Dysregulated Serotonin is likely play a role in the cause of anxiety (Stuart 222).

First of all, there are many causes of anxiety. Anxiety may be caused by a mental condition, a physical condition, the effects of drugs, or a combination of these. Some common external causes are stress at work, school, in a relationship, from an emotional trauma, from a serious mental illness, from financial stress, and from taking drugs

Title of experiment: Does the amount of time you are scared affect your blood pressure?

Heart rate and blood pressure can change with many different stimuli; any stimuli that result in an increase in sympathetic nervous system activity, such as emotional stress or physical exercise, should result in an increase in heart rate and/or blood pressure, assuming there are no other health problems at play. Similarly, activities that inhibit sympathetic nervous system activity help to decrease both heart rate and blood pressure (Powers and Howley, 2009, p. 178). However, there are extrinsic factors that can affect the two: for example, beta-blockers will stimulate vasodilation and thus a decrease in blood pressure (Powers and Howley, 2009, p. 183). The kidneys also plays a large role in cardiac regulation: secretion of norepinephrine by the adrenal glands leads to a more rapid heart rate, and higher levels of water retention by the kidneys leads to increased blood volume and thus increased blood pressure (Powers and Howley, 2009, p. 178).

We live in a stressful world and anxiety is a natural response to this. However,

Being anxious or experiencing symptoms of anxiety is usually harmless in moderation. Individuals go through times of high stress many times throughout their lives. However, not many individuals stop to think of the possible consequences that can occur due to how they choose to cope with their anxiety. One potential consequence that has the potential to occur is heart disease or major cardiovascular events, unfortunately this still remains a very recent study concept. Stroke, heart failure and heart disease can all fall under examples of major cardiovascular events (Edmin, Odutayo, Wong, Tran, Hsiao, & Hunn, 2016). Even though the research that examines the correlation between heart disease and anxiety remains fairly new, studies regarding

There is a strong link between depression or anxiety and cardiovascular health. In patients that are diagnosed with both depression and anxiety, the possibility of developing a cardiovascular incident is thought to be higher. However, it has been evident through studies that both anxiety and depression increase the likelihood of cardiovascular abnormalities independent of each other (Stewart et al.). Interestingly, studies have found anxiety to be a better predictor of cardiovascular disease compared to depression due to its acute symptoms such as panic attacks and anger (Stewart et al.). The acute symptoms of anxiety have a positive association with an increase in blood pressure, vasoconstriction, elevated heart rate, and coagulation (Stewart et al.). This may be in patients that are vulnerable to these conditions and due to the comorbidity of depression and

According to McShane and Von Glinow, stress is a physiological and psychological response to a situation that is perceived as challenging or threatening to us (2015, p. 110). The human body reacts to stress with headaches, stomach aches, diarrhea, nausea, increased heart rate and blood pressure, muscle tightness, back pain, sweating, and increased production of cortisol and adrenaline (fight or flight hormones) (Stress management - the effects of stress, 2015). If left unmanaged, stress can affect the body’s immune system to fight off infection and disease and lead to depression and anxiety. Individuals who have persistent high blood pressure and don’t manage their stress levels are more likely to have heart disease, heart attacks and strokes (McShane &

Pickering TG. Effects of stress & behavioral interventions in hypertension. what is masked hypertension? J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2003;5(2):171–174, 176.

People with chronic anxiety disorders do not have chronic blood pressure increases as a result of their anxiety. In these patients, the nervous and cardiovascular systems seem to reset their normal point to account for the chronic increase in stress hormones. Just as patients without anxiety disorders have periods of stress, people with chronic anxiety disorder also have periods of higher anxiety, and their blood pressure responds similarly during these times.

An anxiety disorder is caused by external stress. External triggers may consist of traumatic events, socializing with new people, and a heavy work load. When the anxiety attack is triggered, the patient may experience an increase in heart rate which can lead to hyperventilation.

Accelerated heart rate, increased blood pressure, increased serum cholesterol, and fluid retention are all stress mechanisms that can cause Heart Disease. Heart Disease is on the rise in other countries because of the stressors that are beginning to be put on them. According to cdc.gov” 1 in 4 die from heart disease in the US alone.” Stress causes the biggest killer in the US.

According to MD Joseph Goldberg in an article titled “Causes of anxiety” on WebMD a medical reference website, there are many factors that can cause anxiety some of the more common external factors are “Stress at work, school, stress from personal relationships, financial stress. Stress from an emotional trauma such as the death of a loved one, stress from a serious medical illness, side effect of medication, use of an illicit drug, such as cocaine, symptom of a medical illness…” (Goldberg) Physical health problems can attribute to anxiety as well things like “...diabetes, asthma, hypertension and heart disease.” claims Beyond Blue a depression and anxiety support service.

Hypertension influences numerous lives, yet a great many people are uninformed of what hypertension is. ("Merriam-Webster Dictionary", 2014) High circulatory strain is characterized as an “abnormal elevated blood pressure especially of the arteries.” Also know as high blood pressure. An individual needs to comprehend what hypertension is keeping in mind the end goal to fight it. (Heart.org 2014) Hypertension is when the arteries pump the blood back and forth to the heart is under high pressure, which in turns makes the heart work even harder to get blood pumping to the rest of the body. Hypertension is not activated by emotional stress or