Types, Causes, and Complications of Hypertension

Hypertension Types

Hypertension is classified into the following two types according to its cause.

1. Primary Hypertension

Also called "essential hypertension," this refers to hypertension with no clear cause. Most hypertension patients in Korea have primary hypertension. Primary hypertension accounts for more than 90-95% of all hypertension cases.

The exact reason essential hypertension develops is not clear, but it is thought to occur when blood volume increases because of excessive salt intake, or when resistance in peripheral blood vessels increases due to an imbalance of various hormones. Risk factors that make hypertension more likely include a family history of hypertension (genetic predisposition), drinking, smoking, old age, lack of exercise, obesity, a salty diet, and environmental or psychological factors such as stress.

It accounts for about 5-10% of all hypertension patients, and compared with primary hypertension, it tends to appear suddenly and the blood pressure is relatively higher. In cases of severe hypertension with a diastolic blood pressure of 120 mmHg or higher, or hypertension accompanied by retinal disease, secondary hypertension should be suspected and examined. If the underlying disease causing secondary hypertension is found, hypertension is treated by removing that cause.

· Chronic kidney disease · Cushing syndrome · Coarctation of the aorta · Obstructive sleep apnea · Parathyroid disease

· Pheochromocytoma · Primary aldosteronism · Renovascular disease · Thyroid disease

Causes and Risk Factors

Risk factors for hypertension are divided into risk factors that cannot be helped even with effort and risk factors that can be controlled with effort. The reason for dividing the risk factors for hypertension in this way is that hypertension, like most other chronic diseases such as diabetes, is a disease that patients themselves must continuously manage by taking care of their condition and physical state.

1. Risk factors that the patient cannot control

· Age: As age increases, the risk of developing hypertension also increases.

· Family history: Hypertension tends to run in families. People with a family member who has hypertension have a higher risk of developing it than those who do not.

2. Risk factors that the patient can control

· Obesity: The more weight increases, the more likely hypertension is to develop.

· Lack of activity: People with less physical activity are more likely to develop hypertension.

· Smoking: Smoking constricts blood vessels and raises blood pressure.

· Salt intake: Consuming more salt than necessary raises blood pressure.

· Stress: Excessive stress raises blood pressure. Trying to relieve stress by overeating, smoking, or drinking instead leads to higher blood pressure.

Symptoms and Complications

Most people with hypertension have no symptoms, even when their blood pressure rises to a severe level.

A dull headache, dizziness, and nosebleeds are not symptoms of hypertension.

If high blood pressure continues for a long time, various complications can occur in different parts of the body and can sometimes be fatal, such as a heart attack or stroke. Most symptoms of hypertension appear because of complications caused by hypertension, so when symptoms do appear, it means the disease has already progressed significantly. For this reason, hypertension is sometimes called the "silent killer."

Complications that can occur if hypertension is not properly controlled include the following.

· Hemorrhagic stroke · Ischemic stroke · Heart failure · Myocardial infarction · Arrhythmia

· Kidney failure · Hypertensive retinopathy · Aortic dissection

So far, we have explained the types, causes, and complications of hypertension.

In the next part, we will look at the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension I.

Source: Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Health Information Portal