One in three people in the U.S. have high blood pressure. Many of them don’t even know they have it. This can cause serious problems. According to the CDC 3.6 million people go to the emergency room with hypertension being the cause. Almost 28,000 people die annually from it.

This applies to people who spike in readings as well as those who have it as a chronic medical condition. Blood vessels can only take so much, so figuring out how to prevent the problem is paramount.

Caffeine: We don’t know why this is a problem but we do know that it is. Every time we consume something with caffeine in it our blood pressure rises. If you drink coffee, colas and/or energy drinks all day long you are continually spiking the pressure.

Stress: Short term stress, like an accident or a sudden threat will raise the numbers fast. This is part of the “fight or flight” hormone response. It’s also why doctors want us to reduce stress as it can turn into a chronic problem requiring medication.

White Coat Syndrome: This may be a surprise to you but it isn’t to your doctor. Some of us (and I’m one) have a subconscious fear of the doctor. This shows by having higher than normal numbers.

To find out if this is the case your doctor might suggest you get a kit to take readings throughout the day. This may show spikes from caffeine, which isn’t a bad thing. It’s always easier to treat something before it becomes a major health threat.

Bringing the Numbers Down: If you can trace the spikes to specific problems you may be able to stop it from becoming a big deal. Cutting back on the caffeine and learning stress management may keep you from needing medications.

Garlic supplements may be wise, though that should be discussed with your doctor. If you are taking blood thinners for any reason the supplement can interact.

If the readings are stay high and remain that way you may need medication. There are several different types for this problem and it may take some experimentation to get the right one for you. It took four tries to get mine under control.

This is an important issue. The statistics mentioned above may include any of us. Finding and resolving the problem is very necessary.