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High blood pressure could have an influence on depression, but what is more likely is that depression could cause a distinct rise in blood pressure. Depression can predispose a person to high blood pressure in many ways. Stress and anxiety can cause tension and not only increase the workload on the cardiovascular system but can also cause sympathetic activation of the Renin-Angiotensin system; which is an enzymatic response by the sympathetic nervous system to help an individual respond to an extreme situation with enough energy to cope. However, the prolonged stimulation of the fight or flight mechanism not only involves the adrenal glands' response but can result in the entire endocrine cascade of epinephrine;which dialates smooth respiratory tissue and increases the pulse, but also norepinephrine; which is the mirror-opposite of epinephrine(dopamine). This really increases the blood pressure. There can be other causes than these positive feedback systems; ones that do not result in acute and emergent hypertensive crisis'. These include high cholesterol, atherosclerosis and artherosclerosis, high salt intake, increased fat absorption and storage due to changes in metabolism from lack of exercise, increased or poor diet techniques, or even due to decreased levels of endorphins which have been shown to have positive circulatory effects in regards to oxygenation. In a nut shell depression and high blood pressure can be related in many ways depending on how well the depression is controlled and how the depression is controlling the individuals stress levels and actions.

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13y ago

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