Secondary Hypertension

Hypertension is a medical condition wherein the blood pressure stays higher than 140 over 90 mmHg.* When blood pressure remains elevated for an unknown cause, it is called primary (also known as essential or idiopathic) hypertension. On the other hand, high blood pressure as a result of another complication such as tumor, endocrine or kidney diseases it is called secondary hypertension.* Risk factors which are likely to contribute to high blood pressure include age (more prone to people age 60 years and above), weight/size (obesity), sex (men are mostly diagnosed with hypertension) and lifestyle factors such as excessive alcohol consumption, constant tobacco (cigarette) smoking, low physical activity, having a salt-rich diet and genes (family history of hypertension). Unrestrained and prolonged hypertension increases mortality and morbidity.*

Cardiac output is the product of heart rate and stroke volume. When both heart rate and stroke volume increase, cardiac output also increases. An increase in cardiac output would require increase in blood flow to compensate for the loss of oxygen. As a result, the heart will pump more blood thereby increasing the pressure. When resistance to blood flow increases due to increased arteriolar vasoconstriction, peripheral resistance also increases. This factor influences the blood pressure the most because of the narrowing of the arteries. This will give less space for the blood flow therefore increasing blood