Two forms of high blood pressure have been described: essential (or primary) hypertension and secondary hypertension.

Essential hypertension (which accounts for 90 – 95% of cases) affects approximately 72 million Americans, yet its basic causes or underlying defects are not always known.  Nevertheless, certain associations have been recognized and the cause is considered multifactorial, meaning there are several factors whose combined effects lead to high blood pressure.

In secondary hypertension, which accounts for 5 – 10% of cases, the high blood pressure is secondary to (caused by) a specific abnormality in one of the organs or systems of the body, such as kidney dysfunction or heart disease (atherosclerosis or congenital defects).

Additional Information about High Blood Pressure

1. High Blood Pressure Overview
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3. Natural and alternative treatments for high blood pressure
4. Dietary and lifestyle recommendations that may help in the treatment of high blood pressure
5. Conventional or prescription medications used in the treatment of high blood pressure
6. Additional reading about high blood pressure