The Link Between Anxiety and High Blood Pressure

Anxiety and high blood pressure (hypertension) can occur together and even cause each other. High anxiety levels can lead to a spike in blood pressure, and getting a diagnosis of high blood pressure can lead to anxiety. However, some other medical conditions and medications can cause both high blood pressure and anxiety.

Read on to learn more about the link between hypertension and anxiety and the factors contributing to both conditions.

High Blood Pressure Can Lead to Anxiety

Learning you have high blood pressure can lead to anxiety, especially if you’re already concerned about health issues.

However, being diagnosed with high blood pressure is the first step toward getting treatment and lowering your risk for serious conditions. Studies show that treating blood pressure levels over 140/90 mm Hg significantly reduces the risk of heart-related events and mortality.

There are many ways to lower your blood pressure. Healthcare providers can prescribe many different medications that are safe and effective at getting your blood pressure under control. Additionally, there are several healthy lifestyle changes you can make to help lower your blood pressure.

Anxiety Raises Blood Pressure

Blood pressure can be affected by both short-term (acute) and long-term (chronic) anxiety.

Acute anxiety can significantly raise blood pressure. This occurs due to the body’s response to sudden stress, known as the “fight or flight response.”

During stress, the body releases hormones like cortisol and catecholamines. These hormones redirect blood flow to the muscles, preparing the body for action, which increases heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate.

The long-term effects of chronic anxiety on blood pressure are still debated. Some studies have shown varying evidence of a link, but more recent research suggests a possible connection.

Causes of Both Hypertension and Anxiety

Medical conditions and medications can cause both high blood pressure and anxiety, and certain lifestyle factors can also contribute to both conditions.

Medical Conditions

The following medical conditions can cause both high blood pressure and anxiety:

• Primary aldosteronism: In this condition, the body makes too much of the hormone aldosterone.
• Thyroid disorders: Having either an over or underactive thyroid can lead to high blood pressure.
• Cushing’s syndrome: In this disorder, excess cortisol leads to elevated blood pressure, anxiety, weight gain, and muscle weakness.
• Pheochromocytoma: This rare tumor of the adrenal glands releases certain chemicals called catecholamines and can lead to intermittent very high blood pressure, headaches, anxiety, and sweating. Symptoms of pheochromocytoma can be confused with panic attacks.

When blood pressure is high because you have one of these conditions, it’s known as secondary hypertension. Primary aldosteronism is a common cause of high blood pressure, whereas the other conditions listed are much less common causes of high blood pressure.

Medications

Several medications can cause high blood pressure and anxiety:

• Corticosteroids
• Stimulants such as Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts) and Ritalin (methylphenidate) used to treat attention-deficient hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy
• Asthma medications
• Nasal decongestants like Sudafed (pseudoephedrine)

Some medications used to treat depression and anxiety, like MAO inhibitors and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) can sometimes increase blood pressure.

Lifestyle

The following are lifestyle factors that can cause or contribute to high blood pressure or anxiety:

• Alcohol use
• Drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine
• Caffeine
• Living a sedentary lifestyle

Treatments

There are several well-proven treatments for both high blood pressure and anxiety. Your healthcare provider will work with you to make an individualized treatment plan to address your needs.

Lifestyle Changes

There are many proven lifestyle changes that can lower blood pressure. Making these modifications may also help manage mood and anxiety disorders.

• Regular physical exercise has many benefits for your physical and mental health. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends getting 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week.
• A nutritious diet has proven benefits for blood pressure and heart health. Eating a well-balanced diet may also help mood and anxiety disorders.
• Poor sleep has been linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, and anxiety. Getting enough good quality sleep may help you manage these conditions.

Medication

In addition to lifestyle factors, you may need medication to get your blood pressure under control or to treat mood and anxiety disorders. Many different classes of medications are available to treat these conditions.

Some frequently used medications to lower blood pressure include:

• ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs)
• Calcium channel blockers
• Diuretics

In some cases, beta-blockers, aldosterone antagonists, and vasodilators are used to lower blood pressure.

Talk therapy is often effective for treating anxiety, and many people also benefit from taking medication. For example, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a widely used class of medication for treating anxiety.

However, other medications for anxiety, like serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), and tricyclic antidepressants, should be used cautiously in people with high blood pressure.