What are reasons for high blood pressure?
The most common reason for high blood pressure is the inherited (genetic) form known as primary hypertension. This kind of hypertension is often seen in children and adolescents who are overweight. This accounts for the majority of cases with hypertension in both adults and children. The cause of primary hypertension is unknown. The remaining cases with high blood pressure are due to an underlying cause, such as a kidney abnormality, narrowing of the arteries to the kidneys, a congenital defect of the heart such as coarctation of the aorta, or rare tumors of the adrenal gland. These forms of hypertension are called secondary hypertension because an underlying cause can be identified.
