What could be the cause of high blood pressure in young adults?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 19 year old skinny male. My BP was 158/100, but that could be because I was anxious at the doctor's. I have no prior health conditions. What could be the causes of a high blood pressure for me other than anxiety?

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern. Your age is 19 and your blood pressure is high.

There are certain causes of hypertension in the young. The other causes have to be ruled out before labeling it as anxiety related hypertension. These include:

Renal abnormalities: do kidney function tests, urine examinations, renal Doppler and an ultrasonography of the abdomen to check for renal size.
Adrenal gland disorders like pheochromocytoma, Cushing's disease, and aldosterone problems.

You should also go for 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring to check if there is really hypertension.

Regards.