title: Diagnosis and evaluation of secondary hypertension.
abstract: Although patients with secondary hypertension comprise only a small percentage of those with elevated blood pressure, this subgroup should not be ignored. In many cases, correcting the cause of secondary hypertension can lead to a cure, thus avoiding the need for long-term medical therapy, with its attendant risks and economic toll. Moreover, effective treatment of secondary hypertension can prevent chronic complications, such as left ventricular hypertrophy and coronary artery disease, which markedly increase morbidity and mortality. Nearly all forms of secondary hypertension are related to decreased renal function and/or derangement of hormonal balance or secretion. If hypertension is secondary to chronic renal failure of any etiology, it can be recognized from biochemical assays for blood urea nitrogen and creatinine.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA.
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Campese
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nosrati
mesh_terms: D017130:Angioplasty; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006035:Glycyrrhiza / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D006929:Hyperaldosteronism / Q000150:complications; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D006978:Hypertension, Renovascular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000150:complications; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011866:Radioisotope Renography