Most people know that hypertension involves potentially dangerous and unhealthy increases in blood pressure. But many people don’t know that there are two types of hypertension, and knowing which type you have can have a big impact on how your hypertension is managed.
The team at Primary Care Associates helps men and women in Frederick and Clarksburg, Maryland, understand the causes of their hypertension and what steps they can take to manage their blood pressure. Here’s what they want you to know about the two main types of this very common medical problem.
According to the CDC, about half of Americans have high blood pressure, including many women and men who haven’t been diagnosed.
High blood pressure happens when the pressure or force of blood on your vessel walls increases beyond a normal or healthy level. Over time, the increased force damages the walls of your vessels, increasing your risk of atherosclerosis (“hardening” of the arteries). And it can damage other organs, too.
Your organs and tissues are designed to receive their blood supply at a certain pressure level. When that pressure increases and remains high, it can wind up damaging the tissues and causing a host of serious medical problems.
Hypertension has earned the nickname “silent killer” because its effects can be deadly if left untreated and usually causes no symptoms as it progresses. Many people don’t even know they have high blood pressure until they have a blood pressure reading at a doctor’s visit.
If you have high blood pressure, even though it may not be causing symptoms, that doesn’t mean it’s not causing damage. Without treatment, hypertension increases your risks of:
Regular blood pressure screenings and a tailored hypertension management plan are the keys to reducing these and other serious risks.
Hypertension can be divided into two main types: primary hypertension and secondary hypertension.
Primary hypertension is the most common of the two main types of high blood pressure. Primary hypertension usually happens as we age, and changes in our blood vessels and cardiovascular systems cause blood pressure to rise. Environmental and genetic influences can also play a role.
Primary hypertension can happen to anyone — even young people — but it’s more common among people with certain risk factors, like:
Also called essential hypertension, primary hypertension accounts for up to 95% of all high blood pressure diagnoses.
Secondary hypertension is high blood pressure caused by an underlying medical issue. Some of the most common causes include:
Over-the-counter medicines, including some cough medicines, decongestants, and pain relievers, can also cause secondary hypertension or increase your risk of developing it.
Hypertension treatment is based partly on whether you have primary or secondary hypertension.
For people with secondary hypertension, managing the underlying condition often helps resolve blood pressure problems. That might mean managing kidney or thyroid disease, changing medications, or having other treatments focused on the underlying cause.
For people with primary hypertension, treatment focuses on lifestyle changes, like:
Many people need to supplement these lifestyle changes with medications that help them lower their blood pressure and maintain it within a healthy range.
If you have hypertension, having regular doctor visits is essential for keeping it under control. Routine office visits allow our team to monitor your blood pressure and adjust your management strategy, so it remains effective for you.
To learn more about hypertension management or to have your blood pressure evaluated, book an appointment online or over the phone with Primary Care Associates today.
