Secondary Hypertension: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

Hypertension most often has no clear cause and is classified as Primary Hypertension. Around 10% of people suffer from Secondary Hypertension, which can be caused by a number of conditions. However, the cause of this disease varies depending on the age of the patient.

Secondary Hypertension Causes

Secondary hypertension is high blood pressure that is caused by another condition or disease. There are many different conditions or diseases that can cause secondary hypertension, including:

1. Kidney disease: Poor blood flow to the kidney is the result of kidney injury or narrow arteries. As a result, a hormone called renin is produced in higher amounts. Angiotensin II (a protein molecule) is one of the substances produced by renin that increase blood pressure.

2. Adrenal disease: Adrenal glands are located on top of the kidneys. They produce and regulate hormones. An imbalance of hormones in your body is caused if there is a problem with these glands. Among them are:

• Phéochromocytoma (a tumor of the adrenal gland that overproduces the fight-or-flight hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine)
• Primary aldosteronism (a condition in which the body makes too much of the hormone aldosterone) can cause CONN’s syndrome.
• Cushing’s syndrome (a condition where there is too much of the hormone cortisol, a regulator of carbohydrate metabolism and blood pressure)

3. Hyperparathyroidism: During this condition, the parathyroid glands (located in the neck) overproduce hormones that regulate calcium levels in the blood, causing high blood pressure.

4. Thyroid problems: Hypertension may also be caused by abnormal thyroid function.

5. Coarctation (constriction or tightening) of the aorta: As a result of this condition, the aorta (the main artery of the left side of the heart) is tightened. Blood flow is restricted by a coarctation.

Symptoms of Secondary Hypertension:

Secondary hypertension can have a variety of symptoms depending on the underlying disease. Moreover, one medication may not be sufficient to control hypertension. Several medications might be required.

An American Heart Association guideline indicates a person with high blood pressure will have a sphygmomanometer reading of 130/80 and above.

Some Examples of symptoms for such conditions can include:

• Conn’s syndrome or Primary Aldosteronism
• Pheochromocytoma
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Cushing’s syndrome
• Thyroid problems

Secondary Hypertension Treatment

Treatment for secondary hypertension may not be constants. As it has various causes, the treatment also differs from one another. Hence, once you are diagnosed with Secondary Hypertension, your physician will carry out the treatment accordingly.