Secondary hypertension

Abstract

In spite of advances in diagnostic tests, most types of secondary hypertension can be suspected after a careful history and physical examination and simple, inexpensive laboratory studies. After their initial evaluation, patients who are not suspected of having a specific cause for their hypertension may be selected for additional investigation during careful follow-up because of a poor therapeutic control, increased blood pressures levels during appropriate treatment, more severe forms of hypertensive disease, poor quality of life during treatment, electrolyte and renal function abormalities, among other situations. This article will serve to review some diagnostic approaches to the most frequent causes of secondary hypertension.