High Blood Pressure or Hypertension is a serious medical condition affecting millions of people worldwide. The best way to deal with this medical condition is to stay wary and informed about the different stages and types of hypertension. There are four stages and primarily two main types of hypertension. In this blog, we will be discussing the two types of hypertension; namely primary and secondary hypertension. The difference between the two types is the cause of their origin.

While there is no definitive cause behind primary hypertension, secondary hypertension has a known cause. Knowing and understanding what can lead to severe complications in secondary hypertension can help you diagnose early symptoms and keep the condition in check. Given below are the primary and secondary hypertension; causes, symptoms, and treatments.
 

A Look Into Primary & Secondary Hypertension

Primary Hypertension

Primary hypertension is the most common type of hypertension as it contributes to 90 - 95% of all hypertension cases. Hypertension is a difficult illness to live with as it has the potential to affect other body functions, which are crucial for your survival. While the exact cause behind primary hypertension and when it can affect someone has not been determined yet, there are various risk factors that are suspected to cause it. 

However, before you learn about the risk factors of primary hypertension, you should know that primary hypertension can be temporary. If you are going through an especially difficult and trying time emotionally or mentally, it can cause irregularities in your blood pressure. The key in such cases is to monitor your health and try to go for lifestyle changes that help you keep your condition in check. With that being said, let’s look at the various risk factors of primary hypertension.

• Age: People over the age of 40 are more likely to develop primary hypertension. This is mainly because the vascular system in your body changes as you age. This causes your blood vessels to become stiffer and that causes a higher blood pressure as it takes more pressure from the heart to send blood through them.
   
• Lifestyle: Lifestyle is perhaps one of the most important risk factors for hypertension. People who have a sedentary lifestyle, excessive alcohol intake, and uncontrolled body weight are at a higher risk of hypertension. This is mainly because all these factors cause your heart to take on extra pressure to pump blood across your body and over time, it shoots up your blood pressure and keeps it there.
   
• Genetics: Genetics plays a certain role in hypertension because if your parents or close relatives have had it, you are more likely to develop the condition too. So, in such cases, doctors will have people at risk follow lifestyle changes even before they start showing symptoms. And that brings us to the next part. What are the symptoms of primary hypertension?

Primary hypertension does not come with telltale symptoms. It doesn’t even have early symptoms that can tip you off as to something is wrong. Most of the symptoms associated with hypertension can be caused by other underlying medical conditions too. So, the only way to find out if you have hypertension or not is to regularly monitor your blood pressure levels. With that being said, here are some of the common symptoms associated with primary hypertension.

• Blurred vision
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness
• Headaches

Managing hypertension requires considerable effort from your end. You must maintain a steady diet with a focus on reducing your intake of alcohol, red meat, and anything you smoke. You should also exercise regularly and keep your stress levels in check. These are some of the ways you can manage primary hypertension, and if these changes are not helping, you need medical help.

Secondary Hypertension

Secondary hypertension has a much more fixed cause compared to primary hypertension. This is because secondary hypertension is caused due to other health conditions that affect your body. Unlike primary hypertension, secondary hypertension is generally not temporary and requires patients to address the underlying medical conditions first. Here are some of the common causes of secondary hypertension.

• Kidney Problems: There are different types of kidney problems that can affect your blood pressure levels. Chronic kidney disease is one of the most common kidney conditions and it can shoot up your blood pressure levels causing secondary hypertension if the underlying health condition is not addressed soon.
   
• Obstructive Sleep Apnea: OSA is a condition but it can be a cause of secondary hypertension too. Patients suffering from OSA experience breathing trouble during sleep, this can shoot up your blood pressure levels leading to hypertension if not treated.
   
• Hyperthyroidism: Hyperthyroidism is a condition where your thyroid glands are overactive and produce too much thyroid hormone. The overactivity can negatively impact your blood pressure levels and even lead to hypertension, if not treated promptly. Hyperthyroidism is only one of the hormonal imbalance conditions that can cause hypertension, there are other conditions too like Cushing’s syndrome, or primary aldosteronism.

Secondary hypertension much like its other type doesn’t have too many symptoms that you can use to diagnose the condition at home. Most of the symptoms of secondary hypertension relate to the symptoms of the underlying condition. So, the hypertension is only diagnosed when doctors check your blood pressure after you have been diagnosed with the underlying condition first. 

Treating this condition requires immediate medical assistance and treatment of the underlying medical condition first. Do note that most of the conditions that cause secondary hypertension are chronic and can severely affect your health if not treated promptly. 

Based on your condition, symptoms, and stage of hypertension, you will be given a dedicated treatment plan that you should follow. Also, lifestyle and dietary changes may not be able to control secondary hypertension, but they are nonetheless required to help you manage your hypertension. So, don’t forget about the importance of lifestyle changes if you are diagnosed with secondary hypertension.

Conclusion

To help you avoid complications, diagnose early symptoms, and keep the condition in check, knowing about the primary and secondary hypertension; its causes, symptoms, and treatment is crucial. With any type of hypertension the key is to manage your lifestyle and stress levels. So, if you are having trouble managing your stress or lifestyle, feel free to visit MASSH.  Our specialized hypertension clinic experts can help you find easy ways to help you manage your blood pressure levels. Our personalized care routine looks at your daily life and asks you to make changes that you can easily implement. To learn more about our hypertension clinic or book an appointment, check out our website today!