HYPERTENSION

ESSENTIAL (idiopathic; 95%)

SECONDARY HYPERTENSION:

renal causes:

renal artery stenosis:

fibromuscular [young age; affects distal 2/3]

atheroma [older age group; origin of artery affected mostly]

renal parenchymal disease

polycystic kidneys

JG cell tumour / hyperplasia [Bartter's syndrome; but BP here is usually N]

chronic renal disease (any cause)

endocrine disease:

phaeochromocytoma [paroxysmal or sustained hypertension]

Conn's syndrome (1° hyperaldosteronism)

Cushing's syndrome

acromegaly

thyrotoxicosis

drugs:

steroids

alcohol

oral contraceptive pill / oestrogens

MAOI's

clonidine withdrawal

other:

coarctation of aorta

acute intermittent porphyria

pregnancy-induced hypertension

raised intracranial pressure [+ bradycardia]

polycythaemia rubra vera

physiological [emotion, 'whitecoat HT', exercise; transient]

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