How a mortgage affects blood pressure

Almost all of us know at least a few sad stories of home owners defaulting on their mortgage payments and their real estate being put up for public sale by a private bailiff.

According to a new study, people who live near housing announced for public sale are exposed to an increased risk of developing high blood pressure.

According to the latest scientific data, about 20% of people suffer from high blood pressure, which is the main cause of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

Genetics, advanced age, alcohol use and obesity are among the main factors for the development of hypertension. Stress has also been found to be an important condition for the occurrence of this disease.

In many European countries in the last 6 years, especially in those in Southern Europe, including Bulgaria, the number of foreclosed homes due to non-service of mortgage loans has increased sharply.

According to various estimates, in southern Europe alone, more than 6 million homes were put up for public sale due to the insolvency of their owners.

Earlier research also found a link between the neighborhood environment and cardiovascular health.

The results of the new study show that real estate put up for public sale can affect the systolic pressure of people living in that area.

The scientists found that each additional home repossessed due to debt within a 100-meter radius increased the study participants’ blood pressure by 1.71 mm Hg, on average.

Furthermore, the researchers point out that this relationship only applied to real estate and foreclosures located more than 100 meters from participants’ homes that did not cause an increase in blood pressure.

A person’s blood pressure may be elevated when he fears for the safety or stability of his surroundings.

According to one of the co-authors of the study, Mariana Arcaya, who is also its scientific leader, the observed universal increase in the number of hypertensives may stem from the stress associated with a certain perception of the surrounding space.

For example, in cases where a person’s own real estate is perceived to be of lesser value, their home streets seem less safe and “attractive”, their neighbors unreliable and unstable, all these factors would could lead to increased values ​​of arterial pressure.

In the study, mainly representatives of the Caucasian race with a medium socio-economic status, living in suburban areas, took part, therefore the results should not be extended to other residential areas. The authors of the study are of the opinion that in the future it is necessary to conduct additional studies with the participation of different groups of the population living in urban and rural conditions.

In this regard, it should be noted that the results of the present scientific study are significant from the point of view of defending the cause of maintaining high blood pressure levels.

Perhaps, most of us know that in the majority of cases of hypertension, no specific cause for this clinical condition can be found.

It is only suggested that the maintenance of high values ​​of arterial pressure is a probable result of impaired function of the central nervous system, which in turn may be due to – neuropsychic overstrain.