Experts know that many different factors are linked to high blood pressure. But experts still don't fully understand the exact cause. Factors that are linked to high blood pressure include:^{1, 2}

• Aging.
• Drinking more than 2 alcohol drinks a day for men or more than 1 alcohol drink a day for women.
• Eating a lot of sodium (salt).
• Being overweight or obese.
• Having high cholesterol.
• Not exercising.
• Being under a lot of stress.
• Eating a diet low in potassium, magnesium, and calcium.
• Being insulin-resistant.

Primary, or essential, high blood pressure accounts for 95% of all cases of hypertension.³Secondary high blood pressure, which is caused by another disease or medicine, is less common.

Elevated blood pressure readings may not always mean that you have high blood pressure. For some people, just being in a medical setting causes their blood pressure to rise. This is called white-coat hypertension.