Can Anxiety Cause High Blood Pressure?
Anxiety disorders are among the most common types of mental illness in the U.S., and high blood pressure is one of the nation’s most prevalent health concerns. Is there a relationship between these two conditions? Can anxiety cause high blood pressure?
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What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety refers to fear or nervousness that occurs when someone is facing what they perceive to be a threat. Examples of common circumstances that can cause anxiety include meeting new people, taking an exam in school, giving a presentation, and awaiting medical test results.
In many cases, moderate anxiety is normal. It can even be healthy. Moderate anxiety has several potential benefits, such as increasing awareness, focus, and motivation.
However, when anxiety becomes disproportionate to the perceived threat or occurs without any external triggers, it may indicate a mental health condition.
The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) is the standard reference for clinicians in the U.S. It includes entries for several anxiety disorders, such as:
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Panic disorder
- Social anxiety disorder (social phobia)
- Separation anxiety disorder
- Agoraphobia
- Specific phobia
- Selective mutism
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), more than 40 million adults in the U.S. experience anxiety disorder symptoms every year.
These disorders can be sources of substantial emotional distress and maladaptive behavior changes, both of which can undermine a person’s ability to live a full and satisfying lifestyle.
Some anxiety disorders can also cause intense physical symptoms, which leads us to the question, can anxiety cause high blood pressure?
What Is High Blood Pressure?
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a medical condition that occurs when your bloodstream exerts excessive force against the walls of your arteries, veins, and capillaries.
Blood pressure is measured using two numbers, which are usually written in what looks like a fraction:
- Systolic, which is the force your blood exerts when your heart pumps, is the top number.
- Diastolic, which is the force your blood exerts between heartbeats, is the bottom number.
Both measurements are expressed in millimeters of mercury, or mmhg.
For most people, a healthy systolic measure is between 90 mmhg and 120 mmhg, while a healthy diastolic rate is in the 60 mmhg—80 mmhg range.
Unfortunately, more than 47% of all adults in the U.S. (including 50.8% of men and 44.6% of women) have high blood pressure. Among those who have this condition, nearly half are at 140/90 mmhg or higher, which is considered to be stage 2 hypertension.
Over time, high blood pressure can cause permanent damage to your blood vessels, such as a hardening or narrowing of your arteries. This damage can force your heart to work harder and limit the flow of blood to organs and tissues throughout your body.
Untreated high blood pressure can have several serious effects, including:
- Enlargement of the heart
- Coronary artery disease
- Heart failure
- Stroke
- Cognitive impairments
- Dementia
- Vision impairments
- Sexual dysfunction
Risk factors for hypertension include smoking, poor diet, lack of exercise, overweight and obesity, and exposure to stress.
Can Anxiety Cause High Blood Pressure?
As noted in the previous section, several factors can increase the likelihood that a person will develop hypertension. Since one of these factors is stress, does that mean that anxiety can cause high blood pressure?
Several studies have found an association between anxiety and high blood pressure. But they have not yet established a clear cause-effect relationship between these two conditions.
For example, a systematic review of 21 prior studies found that:
- Anxiety can cause short-term increases in blood pressure.
- Among people who have high blood pressure, those with anxiety disorders often have elevated hypertension in the mornings and evenings.
- Long-term anxiety can impair the vascular system’s ability to make necessary adjustments, which can contribute to hypertension.
- Anxiety disorders have been linked with poor diet, insufficient exercise, and substance abuse, all of which are also risk factors for hypertension.
- Long-term anxiety can lead to more frequent activation of the sympathetic nervous system, which controls the body’s “fight or flight” response. One feature of this response is a temporary boost in blood pressure.
The authors of this review also noted that patients who are aware that they have hypertension have higher than normal rates of anxiety disorders. This suggests that the influence between these two conditions may be bidirectional. Anxiety may contribute to or worsen hypertension, while having hypertension may increase a person’s risk of developing an anxiety disorder
If you’ve been experiencing the symptoms of an anxiety disorder, don’t wait until you’ve developed hypertension or incurred some other form of serious harm before seeking treatment.
Getting effective care sooner rather than later can reduce the likelihood that your mental health struggles will lead to irreversible damage.
Learn More About Anxiety Treatment in Philadelphia
New Mind Wellness is a trusted source of personalized outpatient programming for adults who have been living with anxiety disorders and other mental health concerns.
When you choose our anxiety treatment center in Philadelphia, you can receive care at the partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient levels.
At each level of care, you will have the opportunity to work in close collaboration with a team of highly skilled professionals. We will thoroughly evaluate your history and needs, then develop a customized plan that can put you on the path toward improved health and a more hopeful future.
To learn more about how we can help you or a loved one, or to schedule a free consultation, please visit our admissions page or call us today.
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