Endocrine hypertension.
All hypertension, in one sense, is endocrine in origin. For the 5% of hypertension that is secondary to a specific mechanism, the majority can be attributed to an endocrinopathy, either too much (Cushing's syndrome, primary aldosteronism, renovascular disease, pheochromocytoma) or too little (renal parenchymal disease). For the 95% of hypertension that remains idiopathic or primary, the multiple environmental factors that act upon a genetic predisposition almost all mediate their effects through hormonal pathways (Figure 1). Since endocrinologists are more likely to deal with the 5% of hypertension that is secondary (Table 1), this review will cover their diagnosis and management in greater detail than the 95% categorized as primary hypertension.
Kaplan
N M
NM
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75235-8899, USA.