Physical Changes Due to Aging or Sex and Race
The way organs in the body function changes with time and exposure to certain conditions. Aging, for example, causes changes in the kidneys’ function. These physical changes may alter the way the body’s fluid and salt balance, causing high blood pressure to develop. Changes in heart function and narrowness and flexibility of the blood vessels as a person ages can also cause high blood pressure to set in.
According to a 2018 review [8], the prevalence of high blood pressure is higher in men than women until menopause sets in. Also, in the United States, black people are twice as likely as white people to develop high blood pressure. The disparity starts to even out near age 44. The risk of developing serious complications as a result of high blood pressure is also seen to be higher in people of African heritage.