Can anxiety cause high blood pressure?

Answer From Sheldon G. Sheps, M.D.

Anxiety doesn't cause long-term high blood pressure (hypertension). But episodes of anxiety can cause dramatic, temporary spikes in blood pressure.

If those temporary spikes occur frequently, such as every day, they can cause damage to blood vessels, the heart and kidneys, as can chronic high blood pressure. In addition, people who are anxious or stressed are more likely to engage in unhealthy habits that can raise blood pressure, such as:

  • Smoking
  • Drinking alcoholic beverages
  • Overeating

Some medications to treat anxiety and other mental health conditions also can increase blood pressure. These medications include serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).

If you have trouble controlling your anxiety or if anxiety interferes with daily activities, talk to a health care or mental health provider to find an appropriate treatment.

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.

To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.

March 08, 2022 See more Expert Answers

See also

  1. Medication-free hypertension control
  2. Alcohol: Does it affect blood pressure?
  3. Alpha blockers
  4. Amputation and diabetes
  5. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
  6. Angiotensin II receptor blockers
  7. Arteriosclerosis / atherosclerosis
  8. Artificial sweeteners: Any effect on blood sugar?
  9. AskMayoMom Pediatric Urology
  10. Beta blockers
  11. Beta blockers: Do they cause weight gain?
  12. Beta blockers: How do they affect exercise?
  13. Birth control pill FAQ
  14. Blood glucose meters
  15. Blood glucose monitors
  16. Blood pressure: Can it be higher in one arm?
  17. Blood pressure chart
  18. Blood pressure cuff: Does size matter?
  19. Blood pressure: Does it have a daily pattern?
  20. Blood pressure: Is it affected by cold weather?
  21. Blood pressure medication: Still necessary if I lose weight?
  22. Blood pressure medications: Can they raise my triglycerides?
  23. Blood pressure readings: Why higher at home?
  24. Blood pressure test
  25. Blood pressure tip: Get more potassium
  26. Blood pressure tip: Get off the couch
  27. Blood pressure tip: Know alcohol limits
  28. Blood pressure tip: Stress out no more
  29. Blood pressure tip: Watch the caffeine
  30. Blood pressure tip: Watch your weight
  31. Blood sugar levels can fluctuate for many reasons
  32. Blood sugar testing: Why, when and how
  33. Bone and joint problems associated with diabetes
  34. How kidneys work
  35. Bump on the head: When is it a serious head injury?
  36. Caffeine and hypertension
  37. Calcium channel blockers
  38. Calcium supplements: Do they interfere with blood pressure drugs?
  39. Can whole-grain foods lower blood pressure?
  40. Central-acting agents
  41. Choosing blood pressure medicines
  42. Chronic daily headaches
  43. Chronic kidney disease
  44. Chronic kidney disease: Is a clinical trial right for me?
  45. Coarctation of the aorta
  46. COVID-19: Who's at higher risk of serious symptoms?
  47. Cushing syndrome
  48. DASH diet
  49. DASH diet: Recommended servings
  50. Sample DASH menus
  51. Diabetes
  52. Diabetes and depression: Coping with the two conditions
  53. Diabetes and exercise: When to monitor your blood sugar
  54. Diabetes and heat
  55. 10 ways to avoid diabetes complications
  56. Diabetes diet: Should I avoid sweet fruits?
  57. Diabetes diet: Create your healthy-eating plan
  58. Diabetes foods: Can I substitute honey for sugar?
  59. Diabetes and liver
  60. Diabetes management: How lifestyle, daily routine affect blood sugar
  61. Diabetes symptoms
  62. Diabetes treatment: Can cinnamon lower blood sugar?
  63. Using insulin
  64. Diuretics
  65. Diuretics: A cause of low potassium?
  66. Diuretics: Cause of gout?
  67. Dizziness
  68. Do infrared saunas have any health benefits?
  69. Do you know your blood pressure?
  70. Drug addiction (substance use disorder)
  71. Eating right for chronic kidney disease
  72. High blood pressure and exercise
  73. Fibromuscular dysplasia
  74. Free blood pressure machines: Are they accurate?
  75. Home blood pressure monitoring
  76. Glomerulonephritis
  77. Glycemic index: A helpful tool for diabetes?
  78. Guillain-Barre syndrome
  79. Headaches 101: Know your type
  80. Headaches and hormones
  81. Headaches: Treatment depends on your diagnosis and symptoms
  82. Herbal supplements and heart drugs
  83. High blood pressure (hypertension)
  84. High blood pressure and cold remedies: Which are safe?
  85. High blood pressure and sex
  86. High blood pressure: Can you prevent it?
  87. High blood pressure dangers
  88. How does IgA nephropathy (Berger's disease) cause kidney damage?
  89. How opioid use disorder occurs
  90. How to tell if a loved one is abusing opioids
  91. What is hypertension? A Mayo Clinic expert explains.
  92. Hypertension FAQs
  93. Hypertensive crisis: What are the symptoms?
  94. Hypothermia
  95. I have IgA nephrology. Will I need a kidney transplant?
  96. IgA nephropathy (Berger disease)
  97. Insulin and weight gain
  98. Intracranial hematoma
  99. Isolated systolic hypertension: A health concern?
  100. What is kidney disease? An expert explains
  101. Kidney disease FAQs
  102. Kratom for opioid withdrawal
  103. L-arginine: Does it lower blood pressure?
  104. Late-night eating: OK if you have diabetes?
  105. Lead poisoning
  106. Living with IgA nephropathy (Berger's disease) and C3G
  107. Low-phosphorus diet: Helpful for kidney disease?
  108. Medications and supplements that can raise your blood pressure
  109. Menopause and high blood pressure: What's the connection?
  110. Molar pregnancy
  111. MRI: Is gadolinium safe for people with kidney problems?
  112. New Test for Preeclampsia
  113. Nighttime headaches: Relief
  114. Nosebleeds
  115. Obstructive sleep apnea
  116. Obstructive Sleep Apnea
  117. Pain Management
  118. Pheochromocytoma
  119. Picnic Problems: High Sodium
  120. Pituitary tumors
  121. Polycystic kidney disease
  122. Polypill: Does it treat heart disease?
  123. Porphyria
  124. Postpartum preeclampsia
  125. Preeclampsia
  126. Prescription drug abuse
  127. Primary aldosteronism
  128. Pulse pressure: An indicator of heart health?
  129. Mayo Clinic Minute: Rattlesnakes, scorpions and other desert dangers
  130. Reactive hypoglycemia: What can I do?
  131. Renal diet for vegetarians
  132. Resperate: Can it help reduce blood pressure?
  133. Scorpion sting
  134. Secondary hypertension
  135. Serotonin syndrome
  136. Sleep deprivation: A cause of high blood pressure?
  137. Sleep tips
  138. Blood sugar testing
  139. Snoring
  140. Snoring solution: Sleep on your side
  141. Sodium
  142. Spider bites
  143. Stress and headaches: Stop the cycle
  144. Stress and high blood pressure
  145. Symptom Checker
  146. Takayasu's arteritis
  147. Tapering off opioids: When and how
  148. Tetanus
  149. Tetanus shots: Is it risky to receive 'extra' boosters?
  150. The dawn phenomenon: What can you do?
  151. Infographic: Transplant for Polycystic Kidney Disease
  152. Understanding complement 3 glomerulopathy (C3G)
  153. Understanding IgA nephropathy (Berger's disease)
  154. Vasodilators
  155. Vegetarian diet: Can it help me control my diabetes?
  156. Vesicoureteral reflux
  157. Video: Heart and circulatory system
  158. How to measure blood pressure using a manual monitor
  159. How to measure blood pressure using an automatic monitor
  160. Obstructive sleep apnea: What happens?
  161. What is blood pressure?
  162. Can a lack of vitamin D cause high blood pressure?
  163. What are opioids and why are they dangerous?
  164. What's your high blood pressure risk?
  165. White coat hypertension
  166. Wrist blood pressure monitors: Are they accurate?
  167. Effectively managing chronic kidney disease